RALEIGH, N.C. – Here we go again.
Meeting for the second time in the last three seasons in the Eastern Conference Final, the Florida Panthers will visit the Carolina Hurricanes for Game 1 at Lenovo Center on Tuesday.
In 2023, Florida swept Carolina in four games to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
A hard-fought series, each game was decided by one goal, including two overtimes.
This time around, the action should be just as tight.
“It’s not going to be pretty, it’s not going to be cute,” said forward Evan Rodrigues. “It’s going to be tough battles, net front, all the little things that’ll hopefully add up to some goals and wins.”
Taking the long road to their third straight Eastern Conference Final, the Panthers clawed back from a 2-0 series deficit in Round 2 to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games.
In the decisive Game 7, the Panthers enjoyed a scoring spree in a 6-1 win on Sunday.
Following a back-and-forth scoreless first period in Toronto, the Panthers suddenly shot ahead 3-0 in a span of 6:24 on goals from Seth Jones, Anton Lundell and Jonah Gadjovich.
In the third period, Eetu Luostarinen, Sam Reinhart and Brad Marchand also lit the lamp.
Improving to 3-0 in his career in Game 7’s, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 19 of 20 shots.
With no time to rest, they've got to be ready to go again just 48 hours later.
“I think it’s kind of nice when you get only one day off in between,” forward Carter Verhaeghe said. “You’re kind of still in that do-or-die mindset. I think that’s what the playoffs is kind of all about. It keeps you in it. It was a very emotional series with playing Game 7. Coming here, I think we just turn the page.”
While the big guns on the Panthers – Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Reinhart, etc. – have been doing their usual elite things, it’s been the team’s third line turning heads in the playoffs.
Through two rounds, Lundell, Marchand and Luostarinen have combined for 34 points (10 goals, 24 assists), with Luostarinen and Marchand tied for the team lead with 12 points each.
At 5-on-5, the line boasts a 60.26 shared of expected goals, per NaturalStatTrick.com.
Spreading out the offense, 17 different Panthers have tallied multiple points thus far.
“That’s kind of the way our team’s built,” Verhaeghe said. “It’s such a team effort.”
In net, Bobrovsky has gone 8-4 with a 2.31 goals-against average, .901 save percentage and two shutouts, which are tied for the most among NHL goaltenders in this year’s playoffs.
Per MoneyPuck.com, he’s also saved 1.8 goals above expected.
Nearly unbeatable against the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final in 2023, Bobrovsky stopped 168 of 174 shots (.966%) with one shutout in the four-game sweep.
"Bob's routine is built over his entire career," head coach Paul Maurice said.
Cruising into the Eastern Conference Final, the Hurricanes have yet to lose more than one game in a series, including besting the Washington Capitals in five games in Round 2.
Last taking the ice on May 15, the Hurricanes broke a 1-1 tie with just 1:59 left in regulation on a goal from Andrei Svechnikov in an eventual 3-1 win over the Capitals in Game 5.
Leading the playoffs with a .937 save percentage, Frederik Andersen made 18 saves.
Averaging the sixth-most goals per game in the playoffs (3.40), the Hurricanes are led up front by Seth Jarvis (10 points), Sebastian Aho (10 points) and Svechnikov (nine points).
Not playing against Florida in 2023 due to an injury, Svechnikov has also scored team-high eight goals.
A battle between two of the top defensive teams in the NHL, the Hurricanes have allowed the fewest goals per game in the playoffs (1.80), just one spot ahead of the Panthers (2.42). Carolina is also first on the penalty kill (93.3%), with Florida right behind in second (89.5%).
Both teams also have a stalwart shutdown duo on their top pair.
Looking at the 5-on-5 numbers, Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling have controlled 65.33% of shot attempts and lead 9-6 in goals for the Panthers, while Brent Burns and Jaccob Slavin have controlled 55.97% of shot attempts and lead 7-4 in goals for the Hurricanes.
“Just try to get on them, make them defend, right?” Rodrigues said of Carolina’s top pair. “We’re going to see two really good defenders. Slavin’s got an elite stick. He knocks down a lot of pucks. It’s just not trying to be cute with him, not trying to try him too often.”
Despite reaching the Conference Finals for the third time in the past six years, the Hurricanes have struggled to get over the hump, going 0-12 in those three series.
For the second time in the last three years, Florida's road to the Stanley Cup Final will have to go through Raleigh.
THEY SAID IT
“I don’t think anybody really enjoys playing Carolina. Very tough team to play against, and they make it hard on you every game. There were good memories here in this building a couple years ago, and that whole series for us. But it’s all back to zeros now. It’s a new year, new series.” – Matthew Tkachuk on the Hurricanes
“It keeps things fresh. You don’t get that time to really relax and take your foot off the gas. It just kind of feels like one long series a little bit. We’ll be ready to go.” – Evan Rodrigues on going quickly into the Eastern Conference Final
“Both teams compete hard. There’s some grit in the game. I think that’s the thing that comes to mind first.” – Eetu Luostarinen on the similarities between Florida and Carolina
FIVE CATS STATS
- The Panthers lead the NHL in road goals (33) this postseason.
- Brad Marchand and Eetu Luostarinen each boast a +11 plus/minus rating.
- Sergei Bobrovsky allowed two or fewer goals in four of seven games in Round 2.
- Sam Bennett leads the Panthers with 63 hits this postseason.
- Seth Jones leads the Panthers with 25:45 time on ice per game this postseason.
PROJECTED LINEUP (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
Forwards
Evan Rodrigues – Aleksander Barkov – Sam Reinhart
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand
A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Jonah Gadjovich
Defensemen
Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
Nate Schmidt – Dmitry Kulikov
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky
Vitek Vanecek
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN
When: Tuesday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET
Where: Lenovo Center – Raleigh, NC
TV: TNT, Max, SN, CBC, TVAS
Radio: 560 WQAM (Dade/Broward); 92.1 WZZR-FM & 1230 WBZT-AM (Palm Beach); 100.3 WCTH (Florida Keys); Panthers App; SiriusXM Channel 220 / App & Streaming 931
Watch Party: Funky Buddha Brewery
