Florida Panthers Dominate Carolina Hurricanes in Eastern Conference Final Opener
In a thrilling start to the Eastern Conference Final, the reigning Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, took down the Carolina Hurricanes with a solid 5-2 victory on Tuesday night. Carter Verhaeghe and Aaron Ekblad kicked things off with two crucial first-period goals, setting the tone for the game. Meanwhile, Sergei Bobrovsky was a wall in net, making 31 saves and keeping the Hurricanes at bay.
Florida's A.J. Greer added to the scoreline in the second period, finishing off a slick 2-on-1 break. Sam Bennett then sealed the deal with a goal in the third period, which pretty much put any doubts to rest. Eetu Luostarinen even got in on the action late in the game, pushing the score to 5-1 and really putting the pressure on Carolina.
Bobrovsky's performance was particularly impressive, especially during a stretch where the Panthers went over 15 minutes without a shot on goal. This game came just two days after Florida's intense Game 7 win against Toronto, which set the stage for a rematch of the Eastern Final from two years ago. Back then, the Panthers swept the series, winning all four games by just one goal, including a marathon Game 1 that went into four overtimes.
In this latest matchup, Florida wasted no time in snatching home-ice advantage from a Hurricanes team that had been undefeated at home in the playoffs, boasting a perfect 5-0 record. Carolina's Sebastian Aho managed to score their only goal while the game was still competitive, with a lucky bounce off his skate that found its way past Bobrovsky just before the first period ended, making it 2-1.
However, Florida quickly responded with Greer's goal, which came from a backhand pass by Niko Mikkola, pushing the lead back to two goals early in the second. Carolina's Frederik Andersen, who had been stellar throughout the postseason, found himself in tough spots, especially when Verhaeghe scored a power-play goal that hit the upper corner of the net. Bennett's goal, which came during a man advantage, ended a frustrating 15-minute stretch for the Panthers without a shot.
Carolina's penalty kill, which had been the best in the playoffs, faced a tough challenge against Florida's power play, which capitalized on their opportunities. In a late-game twist, Jackson Blake scored for Carolina, but the moment was overshadowed by Brad Marchand's game misconduct penalty after a heated exchange with Shayne Gostisbehere.
This loss marked a tough milestone for Carolina, as it was their 13th consecutive defeat in a conference final, dating back to being swept in 2009, 2019, and now 2023. With Game 2 set to take place back in Carolina on Thursday night, the Hurricanes will be looking to bounce back and even the series.
