PREVIEW: Panthers ready for more heading into Game 2 of ECF at Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Who has more left in the tank?

That's the question heading into Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday at PNC Arena after the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes played through an absolute marathon in Game 1.

Opening the best-of-7 series between former Southeast Division foes by giving fans more than two games for the price of one, the Panthers came out on top with just 12.7 seconds left in the fourth overtime when Matthew Tkachuk beat Frederik Andersen to finally lock in the 3-2 win and send everyone to bed.

In the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, only five other games ever went longer.

"I think everyone is feeling it at this time of the year," Panthers forward Sam Reinhart said. "Playing two and a half games in one night certainly doesn't help anyone. But we had a good day to recover. Being on the road and together all day yesterday, you're coming together and going through the same things together. That helps. Today just feels like a normal game day."

Outside of the minutes piling up on both sides, the top story in Game 1 was goaltending.

Coming off a 50-save performance in a series-clinching Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 2, Sergei Bobrovsky set a franchise record with 63 saves -- including stopping all 34 shots he faced in overtime -- to keep the Panthers in position to pounce.

At the other end of the ice, Andersen made 57 saves, including 39 in overtime.

"It's awesome," Verhaeghe said of Bobrovsky, who's gone 5-1-0 while stopping 227 of 239 shots for a .950 save percentage over his last six starts. "He's the hardest worker on the team. He does everything right. Off the ice, he prepares like I've never seen anyone prepare before."

In terms of offense, the Panthers once again want to keep the action even as much as possible.

At 5-on-5 in Game 1, the Panthers led the Hurricanes 51-40 in scoring chances, 26-21 in high-danger shot attempts and 3-0 in goals. When Carolina did get a shot on net, Bobrovsky was there to gobble it up as he stopped all 55 shots that he faced at even strength.

Both of Carolina's goals came by way of the power play.

"Penalty killing was not our lead attribute this year, but in the playoffs at times, especially against Toronto, it will give us [a big kill]," Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said when asked about special teams. "We're asking our penalty kill to give us the moments we need. It got us the kill in overtime [in Game 1]. I don't care that we gave up two, just get us the kill in overtime."

The top line did most of the damage for the Panthers in Game 1 as Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe and Anthony Duclair combined for six points (two goals, four assists). In the second period, Barkov (15:28) and Verhaeghe scored (17:43) scored 2:15 apart to put Florida up 2-1 heading into the third period.

For the Hurricanes, second-year pro Seth Jarvis was the man with the hot stick. After opening the scoring with a blast on the power play that put Carolina up 1-0 in the first period, the 21-year-old forward set up Stefan Noesen for a goal on a tic-tac-toe play in the third period to make it 2-2.

"I think we're just finding some chemistry," Verhaeghe said of his line, which leads 7-4 in goals at 5-on-5 in the postseason. "It takes a little bit of time. It feels like in any game that any line can step up, and that's what's so great about our team. One night, another line can do it."

In addition to going for their eighth straight win on the road in the postseason, the Panthers, who entered the playoffs as the 16th seed in the entire NHL, are also trying to become just the sixth lower-seeded team in the past 15 years to take a 2-0 lead in the Conference Finals.

Despite likely some tired legs on both sides, Maurice doesn't expect a dip from either squad.

"It's the Conference Finals," he said. "I don't worry about anybody having a casual game."

THEY SAID IT

"I think they just believed in me right from the start. They gave me a great opportunity. I think ever since then I've just kind of run with it and played hockey. They just encourage you to play hockey and have fun." - Carter Verhaeghe on his game taking off with the Panthers

"I hope you guys and everybody else enjoyed that game because what I'm seeing is two really good teams fighting it out for every inch. It's little stuff like little battles that maybe people don't realize, but they're very important and both teams are doing it all night long." - Matthew Tkachuk on the nature of Game 1 against the Hurricanes

"We're trying to execute a very similar game plan. Not give the opposing team too much time and space. I think you saw that last game. Obviously some really good goaltending on both sides." - Sam Reinhart on the tight level of play between the Panthers and Hurricanes

"What is he? He's a really strong two-way player. I still believe that there's more offensive upside, but he doesn't change his game looking for it. He's a penalty killer for us and an important penalty killer for us, but he can play No. 1 minutes." - Paul Maurice on Eetu Luostarinen

PLAYOFF LEADERS

Panthers

Goals: Montour (6), Reinhart (6), Tkachuk (6)

Assists:Tkachuk (11)

Points: Tkachuk (17)

Hurricanes

Goals:Aho (5), Fast (5), Jarvis (5)

Assists:Martinook (7), Burns (7)

Points:Aho (11)

PANTHERS PROJECTED LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Forwards

Carter Verhaeghe - Aleksander Barkov - Anthony Duclair

Nick Cousins - Sam Bennett - Matthew Tkachuk

Eetu Luostarinen - Anton Lundell - Sam Reinhart

Ryan Lomberg - Eric Staal - Colin White

Defensemen

Gustav Forsling - Aaron Ekblad

Marc Staal - Brandon Montour

Josh Mahura - Radko Gudas

Goaltenders

Sergei Bobrovsky

Alex Lyon

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

- May 8: F Mackie Samoskevich agreed to terms on a three-year, entry-level contract

HOW TO WATCH

When:Saturday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET

Where: PNC Arena - Raleigh, NC

TV & Streaming: TNT, SN, CBC, TVAS

Radio:560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 92.1 WZZR (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); SiriusXM Streaming Channel 220 / App & Streaming 932; NHL App

Watch Party: FTL Block Party

PREGAME LISTEN

Hear from Sam Reinhart on this week's episode of Territory Talk.