RALEIGH, N.C. --Teuvo Teravainen will return for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers at PNC Arena on Thursday after missing nine games with a fractured left hand.
The forward hasn't played since being injured in Game 2 of the first round against the New York Islanders on April 19 and having surgery the following day.
"He should be ready to go," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said Thursday. "He gave me the thumbs up yesterday and he was fine this morning, so got to get him in there."
Teravainen had no points in two Stanley Cup Playoff games before he was injured and had 37 points (12 goals, 25 assists) in 68 regular-season games. He has 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 75 career NHL playoff games.
Teravainen resumed skating with the Hurricanes wearing a non-contact jersey last week and began practicing with contact Monday. He skated on the left wing on Carolina's third line with center Jordan Staal and Martin Necas at the morning skate Thursday.
"I feel great," Teravainen said. "It feels pretty good out there, so I'm ready to help the team again."
The Panthers will also get some help with forward Ryan Lomberg expected to return from an upper-body injury that has sidelined him since Game 4 of the first round against the Boston Bruins on April 23.
Lomberg has no points in four playoff games after setting NHL career-highs with 12 goals and 20 points in 82 regular-season games.
This the first playoff series between the Panthers and Hurricanes.
Teams that take a 1-0 lead in best-of-7 series hold an all-time series record of 512-242 (.679), including 5-7 (.416) in 2023.
Here are 3 keys to Game 1:
1. Home-ice advantage?
The Hurricanes are an NHL-best 5-1 at home in the playoffs. The Panthers are a League-best 6-1 on the road in the playoffs, including six straight wins. Florida can become the eighth team in playoff history with a road win streak of at least seven games.
One of those trends will continue and one will end in Game 1.
"I think their crowd is going to be loud regardless of what's happening out there," Panthers forwards Nick Cousins said. "I think they kind of feed off their energy and if we have a good start and maybe get the first one, maybe it will let them breathe a little bit. But we know they're going to come out in the first 10 minutes really, really strong."
2. Forecheck pressure
The Hurricanes and Panthers play similarly in that each has success when it's able to establish its forecheck and generate sustained pressure in the offensive zone that leads to puck possession, scoring chances and goals. Whichever team does that better and dictates play for longer stretches will have an advantage.
"They're kind of really trying to do the same stuff we're doing, so it's kind of who does it better and who does it quicker and faster," Hurricanes center Jordan Staal said. "We'll have to find a way to get to our game as quickly as we can and play it to a 'T' and do it better than them."
3. Goalies on a roll
Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen each has played a significant role in his team's success after neither began the playoffs as his team's starter.
Bobrovsky has started nine straight games after Alex Lyon started Florida's first three playoff games and is 7-2 with a 2.82 goals-against average and .918 save percentage. Bobrovsky was at his best in the second round against the Toronto Maple Leafs, not allowing more than two goals in any of the five games to go 4-1 with a 1.89 GAA and .943 save percentage.
"He's been fire. He's been good," Necas said. "We've just got to get it on net. When he doesn't see the puck, it's hard to stop them. So we've got just got to get in the crease, create some rebounds and play our game."
The Panthers want to take a similar approach with Andersen, who has started six straight games after Antti Raanta started Carolina's first five playoff games. Andersen is 5-0 with a 1.80 GAA and .931 save percentage and has allowed one goal in four of his six starts.
