The Eastern Conference Finals are officially set, and former expansion teams the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers are facing off in a battle of the southeast United States. The Hurricanes and Panthers are two teams brimming with tenacity, skill, and top-notch goaltending. All of which are keys in the recipe for a good series.
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While both teams have been resting for a time, waiting for the Western Conference to sort itself out, the Eastern Conference tilt is sure to be a hard-fought one, and likely to offer plenty of show-stopping saves. Here’s what to expect from the third-round matchup between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers.
By the numbers: Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers
The first-place Carolina Hurricanes edged the New Jersey Devils in five games in the second round. It was a high-scoring series that saw Carolina score four goals or more in four of the five games (though they lost one contest 8-4) and showcased the club’s offensive prowess. The team’s penalty kill is also the best in the league, going 27-for-30 (90%) and tallying four shorthanded goals. The power play, however, has struggled in the postseason, with an average of 18.9% through two rounds.
The Florida Panthers, on the other side, toppled the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games, after jumping out to a quick 3-0 lead. The Cats’ handling of the Maple Leafs came after the club surprised the President’s Trophy-winning Boston Bruins with a victory in seven games, powering back from a 3-1 series deficit. Every game in the series against the Maple Leafs, except the first, was decided by one goal. The power play has been particularly effective for the Panthers, with an 8-for-29 record and a 27.6% effectiveness rate in the playoffs, including a 33.3% record in the second round.
Southern connections: Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers
In a historic statistic, Eric Staal and Marc Staal of the Panthers will face Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal in the first Stanley Cup Playoff series that includes all three brothers. The eldest, Eric Staal, was the Canes’ captain for seven seasons, from 2009 to 2016, and played 12 seasons for the club, from 2003 to 2016.
He won the Stanley Cup with Carolina in 2006. “Once we get into the series, it’s kind of a free for all of just playing the game and getting into it,” Jordan Staal said. “We’ll kiss and make up after it.”
What’s more, current Panthers head coach Paul Maurice coached the Carolina Hurricanes in two stints for a total of 11 seasons. His first effort behind the Canes bench was from 1997 to 2003 (which included a run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2002), and his second effort was from 2008 to 2011.
Current Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour played under Maurice in both of those appearances and even got his head coaching start as Maurice’s assistant in 2010 when his playing career ended.
Goalie greatness in both Carolina and Florida
The two clubs have opted for different strategies in the blue paint, but both seem to be working wonders. In the sunshine state, Sergei Bobrovsky reclaimed the starting position from Alex Lyon, who closed out the regular season for the Cats and started in the first three playoff games. In his 10-game playoff run, Bobrovsky has gone 7-2 and carries a wildly impressive 2.82 GAA and .918 save percentage.
In Carolina, Freddie Andersen and Antti Raanta have split the netminding duties. Raanta started the first five games, all against the New York Islanders, and collected a 3-2 record, alongside a 2.59 GAA and .906 save percentage. He slotted in because Andersen was out with a minor injury and illness for games two to four of the first round, but Andersen took over in game six of the first-round series against the Isles and played for the entirety of the second round.
In that span, Andersen recorded a 5-0 record, including a 1.80 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage. Raanta, however, was unavailable in games two to four of the second round, also with an illness.
Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers playoff history
This is the first time these two clubs will face off in the postseason.
Carolina is in the conference final for the first time since 2019, while Florida makes the appearance for the first time since 1996. The Carolina Hurricanes, though, have not reached the Stanley Cup since they won it in 2006, and the Florida Panthers were swept in the 1996 final by the Colorado Avalanche.
This year, Carter Verhaeghe has carried the Panthers’ postseason efforts, with three game-winning goals and 12 points in the playoffs, which are first and second place on the team, respectively. Carolina, meanwhile, has seven goals from defensemen in this playoff run.
Prediction: Carolina Hurricanes in seven games.
The Eastern Conference Final begins on May 18.