The Florida Panthers took care of business in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.
Traveling directly to Raleigh from Toronto after their Game 7 win on Sunday, Florida looked plenty fresh as they skated to an impressive 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center.
Florida’s power play cashed in on their first chance of the series to get the Panthers off and running.
Sasha Barkov found Carter Verhaeghe between the circles, and Verhaeghe took the puck on his backhand and roofed it past Frederik Anderson to give Florida a 1-0 lead near the midway point of the first period.
About four minutes later, Evan Rodrigues jumped on a loose puck after it was lost by Jordan Staal and found a wide-open Aaron Ekblad in the left circle.
Ekblad sent a wrist shot past a screened Anderson to put the Cats up 2-0 with 7:31 on the clock.
Sebastian Aho got the Hurricanes on the board with just 15 seconds left in the period, deflecting a Seth Jarvis shot with his skate past Sergei Bobrovsky after the Panthers failed to get the puck deep into Carolina’s zone a few moments prior.
It only took a few minutes into the second period for Florida to regain their two-goal lead.
A play started by Niko Mikkola in his own zone led to Mikkola carrying the puck over Carolina’s blue line on an odd-man rush.
The massive defenseman slid the puck to A.J. Greer and his one-timer beat Anderson to put the Cats up 3-1.
Despite going over 15 minutes of game time without a shot after Greer’s goal, Florida would make their next one count.
While on the power play after a delay of game penalty by Scott Morrow, Sam Bennett fired a shot that found its way through a screen and past Anderson, extending Florida’s lead to 4-1 with 13:52 to go.
Late in the period, right off a faceoff in Carolina’s zone, Tomas Nosek went behind the net and backhanded a perfect pass to the red-hot Eetu Luostarinen.
Eetu’s one-time beat Anderson and gave the Panthers a 5-1 lead with 5:05 to go.
Jackson Blake added a late power play goal after a roughing call on Jonah Gadjovich, but by then it was too little too late.
Credit must go to Bobrovsky, who kept his cool between the pipes despite a rough night in terms of Hurricanes players trying to get in his kitchen.
Between an Andrei Svechnikov hit to Bobrovsky’s head or Shayne Gostisbehere shooting the puck directly at, and hitting, Brad Marchand, there will be plenty for the Panthers to ponder ahead of Thursday night.
On to Game 2.
QUICK THOUGHTS
Verhaeghe’s goal was his fifth of the playoffs, but it was his first point in four games.
Three of Verhaeghe’s five goals have come on the power play.
Barkov has logged three assists over his past two outings.
Ekblad is up to three goals and seven points in nine playoff games.
Bennett’s goal was his seventh of the playoffs.
Rodrigues has five assists over his past four games.
Greer has two goals and an assist over his past four outings.
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Photo caption: May 20, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe (23) celebrates scoring against the Carolina Hurricanes during the during the first period in game one of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
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