Following the Florida Panthers` decisive Game 7 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, the lineup for the NHL`s final four teams is now confirmed. In the Eastern Conference Final, the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are set to face the Carolina Hurricanes. Meanwhile, the Western Conference Final will see the Dallas Stars compete against the Edmonton Oilers.
This Eastern Conference matchup is a repeat of the 2023 final, a series where the Panthers emerged victorious with a sweep. The key question now is: Can Carolina overcome their previous defeat and win this time around, or will Florida continue their dominant run and reach the Stanley Cup Final for a third consecutive year?
To prepare you for the start of this highly anticipated series on Tuesday, here is essential information, including insights based on statistical research, betting odds, and more.
Eastern Conference Final: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Florida Panthers
Paths to the Conference Finals:
Hurricanes: Defeated the New Jersey Devils in five games, then the Washington Capitals in five games.
Panthers: Defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games, then the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven games.
Leading Playoff Scorers:
Hurricanes: Seth Jarvis (four goals, six assists), Sebastian Aho (three goals, seven assists).
Panthers: Brad Marchand (three goals, nine assists), Eetu Luostarinen (three goals, nine assists).
Schedule:
Game 1: Panthers at Hurricanes | May 20, 8 p.m. ET
Game 2: Panthers at Hurricanes | May 22, 8 p.m. ET
Game 3: Hurricanes at Panthers | May 24, 8 p.m. ET
Game 4: Hurricanes at Panthers | May 26, 8 p.m. ET
Game 5: Panthers at Hurricanes | May 28, 8 p.m. ET (If necessary)
Game 6: Hurricanes at Panthers | May 30, 8 p.m. ET (If necessary)
Game 7: Panthers at Hurricanes | June 1, 8 p.m. ET (If necessary)
Series Odds:
Panthers: -125
Hurricanes: +105
Stanley Cup Odds:
Panthers: +250
Hurricanes: +300
Series Insights
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes have reached the conference finals for the sixth time in their franchise history, marking their third appearance in the last six years. Since 2019, Carolina`s three trips to this round are tied for the second most in the NHL, trailing only the Dallas Stars (four appearances).
Logan Stankoven is anticipated to participate in his first Eastern Conference Final. He previously played in the Western Conference Final with the Stars in his rookie NHL season last year. This makes him one of only two players, alongside Ville Leino (2009 and 2010), to appear in both conference finals during their initial two NHL seasons (since 1994).
Carolina currently holds a streak of 12 consecutive losses in conference finals games. Their most recent win at this stage was Game 7 in 2006 against the Buffalo Sabres, where current coach Rod Brind`Amour scored the winning goal. This losing streak includes the sweep by the Panthers in 2023.
Under coach Brind`Amour since 2019, Carolina has won 10 playoff series, a total surpassed only by the Tampa Bay Lightning (11) during the same period.
Andrei Svechnikov`s series-clinching goal at 18:01 of the third period in their recent series is the second-latest series-deciding goal scored in regulation time in franchise history. The latest was Eric Staal`s goal at 19:28 of the third period in Game 7 of the 2009 first round against the New Jersey Devils.
By eliminating Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals in the second round, the Hurricanes became the first team since the 1997 Philadelphia Flyers (who eliminated Wayne Gretzky and the New York Rangers) to knock out the NHL`s all-time leading goal scorer in a playoff series. Rod Brind`Amour, then a player for the Flyers, scored the series-clinching goal in that 1997 matchup.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers advanced to their third consecutive conference final by defeating the Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 7 in Toronto. Florida joins a select group of teams in the salary cap era (since 2005-06) to reach three straight conference finals: the Dallas Stars (2023-25), Tampa Bay Lightning (2020-22), Chicago Blackhawks (2013-15), Los Angeles Kings (2012-14), and Detroit Red Wings (2007-09).
Florida overcame a 2-0 series deficit against Toronto to win 4-3, marking the first time in franchise history they have rallied from a 2-0 hole in a best-of-seven playoff series (previously 0-5 in such situations). The Panthers are now the seventh defending Stanley Cup champion in the expansion era (since 1967-68) to win a best-of-seven playoff round after trailing 2-0 in the series.
The Panthers boast an impressive 4-1 record in Game 7s, including a perfect 3-0 record on the road. They are just the third franchise to win their first three road Game 7s, joining the Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild.
Brad Marchand contributed three points (one goal, two assists) for the Panthers in Game 7, bringing his career Game 7 point total to 10. This places him ahead of Alex Ovechkin (eight) for the most Game 7 points among active players and ties him for 10th place on the all-time list with Paul Stastny and Jari Kurri. Marchand`s three-point performance increased his career playoff points against the Maple Leafs to 37, moving him past Alex Delvecchio (35) for the second most by any player against Toronto in playoff history, behind only Gordie Howe (53). Marchand improved his personal record against the Maple Leafs in Game 7s to 5-0, becoming the first player in NHL history to defeat a single franchise in five winner-take-all games.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice maintains a perfect record in Game 7s as a head coach, improving to 6-0. He is one of only two head coaches in NHL history to win each of their first six career Game 7s, the other being current Dallas coach Peter DeBoer (9-0).
