So, like, one team had four days to get ready, you know, while the other barely had 48 hours. And yet, the Florida Panthers, after beating the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 on Sunday, once again brought their A-game in a 5-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday. It’s like, practically every championship team has these certain things they always do, right? And the Panthers are no exception. One of their go-to moves has been getting a lead in the second period. I mean, taking a 3-1 lead into the final period of Game 1 led to the Panthers winning their 28th straight playoff game when they’ve been ahead after two periods.
Carolina Hurricanes: C-
The Hurricanes, you know, they usually dominate possession, which helped them beat the New Jersey Devils and the Washington Capitals to make it to the conference finals for the second time in three seasons. They had control in Game 1, with stats showing their shot share was 56%. But, like, there were moments where they lost control, you know? Like when a turnover led to A.J. Greer scoring and giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead. The Panthers also nailed those quick-passing plays, scoring twice on the power play against a team that had the top penalty kill going into the conference finals at 93.3%.
Florida Panthers: A-
Florida picked up right where they left off in Game 7 against Toronto, dominating the Hurricanes in Game 1. Both teams had their chances early in the first period, but once Carter Verhaeghe scored for Florida, they pretty much controlled the game. Carolina did push back, creating some great opportunities in the second period, but Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was on point once again. Bobrovsky’s been killing it since the Toronto series, and he outplayed Frederik Andersen, who was considered the top goalie in the playoffs before Game 1. The Panthers got contributions from everyone, from their 5-on-5 play to their second power-play unit. Even after a bit of a lull, it looks like Florida is still going strong.
Players to watch in Game 2:
Jalen Chatfield, Hurricanes: Chatfield missed Game 1, leaving the Hurricanes without one of their top defensemen. Scott Morrow filled in and had a rough outing, on the ice for three of the Panthers’ goals. Chatfield’s return for Game 2 would be a big boost for Carolina, but if he can’t play, coach Rod Brind’Amour will need to figure something out.
Brad Marchand, Panthers: Marchand got into a scuffle in Game 1, no surprise there. He’ll be back for Game 2, bringing his usual intensity. Marchand was a key player in Game 1, setting up a goal with a screen on Andersen. Will he bring some extra fire to Game 2 after the incident with Gostisbehere?
Big questions for Game 2:
How will the Canes bounce back from their worst loss in over a month? Carolina hasn’t lost by more than three goals since April 13, so this is new territory for them. They’ve been able to recover from close losses this postseason, but how will they handle a three-goal deficit?
Are the Cats running on fumes? The Panthers have been on the move, traveling from Florida to Toronto and then to Raleigh. They didn’t look tired in Game 1, but will all that travel catch up to them in Game 2? Carolina will be ready to make adjustments, so can Florida keep up the pace? The Hurricanes showed they’re a better team than the final score in Game 1, so Game 2 should be interesting.
