Despite having significantly less rest – four days for Carolina compared to Florida`s barely 48 hours after a Game 7 victory on Sunday – the Florida Panthers maintained their aggressive style of play. This approach proved effective as they secured a 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in the opening game of the Eastern Conference Final on Tuesday.
Successful championship teams often possess defining characteristics honed over time, and the Panthers are no exception. A key factor in their journey to three consecutive conference final appearances has been their knack for establishing a lead in the second period. Heading into the final frame of Game 1 with a 3-1 advantage allowed the Panthers to extend their impressive streak to 28 consecutive playoff wins when leading after two periods.
How did each team perform? Which players should you watch in the upcoming game, and what are the major questions facing both the Hurricanes and Panthers ahead of Game 2 on Thursday?
- Team Performance Breakdown
- Carolina Hurricanes Grade: C-
- Florida Panthers Grade: A-
- Three Stars of Game 1
- 1. Sergei Bobrovsky G, Panthers
- 2. A.J. Greer LW, Panthers
- 3. Aaron Ekblad D, Panthers
- Players to Watch in Game 2
- Jalen Chatfield D, Hurricanes
- Brad Marchand LW, Panthers
- Big Questions for Game 2
- How do the Canes respond to their most significant loss in over a month?
- Are the Cats headed for a physical or emotional crash?
Team Performance Breakdown
Carolina Hurricanes
Grade: C-
Possession control has been fundamental to the Hurricanes` success in defeating both the New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals to reach this stage for the second time in three seasons. They indeed controlled possession in Game 1, registering a 56% shot share according to Natural Stat Trick metrics.
However, critical moments of losing control proved costly. A turnover, for instance, directly led to A.J. Greer giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead. Florida also efficiently executed quick-passing plays, which was evident in their 2-for-3 success rate on the power play against a Hurricanes penalty kill unit that entered the series as the league`s best at 93.3%.
Florida Panthers
Grade: A-
Florida picked up right where they left off after their Game 7 victory against Toronto on Sunday, delivering another dominant performance against an opponent.
While both teams exchanged early opportunities in the first period, Florida took control once Carter Verhaeghe opened the scoring, and they held onto that control until the final buzzer.
Carolina certainly pushed back and generated some excellent chances in the second period, requiring a sharp performance from Panthers netminder Sergei Bobrovsky. Bobrovsky, who has been in top form since the midpoint of the second-round series against Toronto, delivered another focused effort that arguably outplayed Frederik Andersen, who was considered one of the postseason`s leading goalies coming into Tuesday. Bobrovsky`s play backstopped the Panthers to another win.
Florida saw contributions from across the lineup, starting with strong 5-on-5 play and extending to their power play (the second unit scored after a 15-minute stretch without a shot on goal in the third period). Despite that brief lull, it appears the Panthers are still firing on all cylinders.
Three Stars of Game 1
1. Sergei Bobrovsky
G, Panthers
Bobrovsky was stellar, making 31 saves and allowing only two goals en route to the Game 1 victory. The Panthers have now outscored opponents 17-4 over their last three road games, a remarkable feat largely attributable to Bobrovsky`s play. This plus-13 goal differential ties for the third-highest margin over a three-game road span in a single postseason.
2. A.J. Greer
LW, Panthers
Greer scored what proved to be the game-winning goal, his second tally in the last four contests. This is significant contextually, as he had only scored two goals in his final 45 regular-season games.
3. Aaron Ekblad
D, Panthers
Ekblad registered his seventh career playoff goal, moving him into a tie with Gustav Forsling for second place among defensemen in franchise history. Brandon Montour holds the record with 11 playoff goals during his tenure with the team.
Players to Watch in Game 2
Jalen Chatfield
D, Hurricanes
Chatfield`s absence in Game 1 left the Hurricanes without one of their top-four defensemen, who had been averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game this postseason. This necessitated the playoff debut of Scott Morrow.
The 22-year-old, who spent most of the season with the Hurricanes` AHL affiliate, faced difficulties in his first playoff outing. Morrow was on the ice for three of Florida`s goals, and his delay-of-game penalty (for shooting the puck over the glass) resulted in Sam Bennett`s power-play goal that extended Florida`s lead to 4-1 with just under 14 minutes remaining.
Morrow logged slightly over 12 minutes of ice time, the least among Hurricanes defensemen by more than four minutes. Chatfield`s potential return for Game 2 would bring a reliable veteran presence back into Carolina`s lineup. If he remains sidelined, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind`Amour will need to re-evaluate his defensive options.
Brad Marchand
LW, Panthers
Predictably, Brad Marchand was involved in the lone fight of Game 1. The Panthers forward reacted strongly when Carolina defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere appeared to shoot a puck in his direction, dropping his gloves immediately.
Marchand received a four-minute penalty and a 10-minute misconduct, leading to his ejection for the remainder of the third period. Marchand will undoubtedly be back and ready for intense engagement in Game 2. Prior to the altercation with Gostisbehere, he was a notable presence, setting a screen on Andersen that helped facilitate Sam Bennett`s power-play goal, effectively sealing the Panthers` victory.
Will Marchand carry lingering frustration from the incident into Game 2, especially given Gostisbehere`s limited engagement after the initial provocation? If any player has built a career on irritating opponents, it`s Marchand. He`s already establishing the tone Florida aims for to disrupt their latest playoff adversary.
Big Questions for Game 2
How do the Canes respond to their most significant loss in over a month?
The last time the Hurricanes lost by more than three goals was a 4-1 defeat to the Maple Leafs on April 13. Since then, they`ve experienced few losses, and their two playoff defeats prior to Game 1 were close contests. One was an overtime loss to the Devils in Game 3 (a series they won in five), and their only loss to the Capitals in Game 2 became a two-goal deficit only after an empty-net goal by Tom Wilson.
This postseason, the Hurricanes have demonstrated the ability to rebound from narrow defeats. The challenge now is finding the cohesion that was lacking in their three-goal loss in the conference opener. Will they manage to even the series at 1-1, or will they travel to South Florida facing a daunting 2-0 deficit?
Are the Cats headed for a physical or emotional crash?
The Panthers are currently riding a wave of momentum and adrenaline, having traveled from Florida to Toronto and then directly to Raleigh following their Game 7 win. While they didn`t appear overtly fatigued in Game 1 against Carolina, it`s reasonable to question if the demanding schedule and travel will eventually catch up to them, especially with another quick turnaround before Game 2.
The Hurricanes now have a clearer understanding of what to expect – if they didn`t before – and will be ready to make strategic adjustments. If they were perhaps *too* rested after several days off before Florida arrived, the Hurricanes have no justification for not performing better on home ice in Game 2. Carolina showed glimpses in the third period that they are a stronger team than the final score indicated. Their legs should be fully under them now. Whether that poses significant trouble for Florida is a question that will be answered on Thursday.
