2025 NHL playoffs: Preview for Hurricanes-Panthers Game 2

May 22, 2025, 07:00 AM

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals Went about as well as it could have been Florida panthers. For the Carolina hurricanes? Not so much.

Following A 5-2 Win, The Panthers Carry A 1-0 Advantage Into Game 2 (8 PM and TNT) On Thursday Night.

Will the hurricanes punch back be upon the series heads to South Florida? Which Players will be the most critical to ech team’s success? Here are key players, matchup notes and stats to know from Espn Research AHead of Game 2.

More: Game 1 recap | Grades

Matchup notes

Florida panthers at Carolina hurricanes
Game 2 | 8 PM ET | Tnt

With the panthers up 1-0, they are now -250 favorites to win the estern conference finals, where the hurricanes are +200, per Espn Bet. The panthers now have the shortest odds to win the stanley Cup, at +160, where canes have the longest, at +500.

The Panthers have scored 38 goals on the road this postseason, tied with the 2022 avalanche for the most than the first eight road games of a single post. They are outscoring opponents 17-4 on the road over their last three road contests. The 17 goals are their most in a three-game span on the road in a single postse in Franchise History

The game 1 defeat was the hurricanes’ 13th straight loss in the conference finals, going back to 2009. This extenses the longest streak in the nhl history for losses in the rounds; The next highest was the Toronto maple leafs With 10 straight losses Betway 1954-56.

Aaron oak leaf‘s goal in game 1 gives the panthers 12 from their defensemen this postse. That is four more than any other team, and ties the franchise record for the most in a single playoff Run (Both 2023 and 2024).

With Goal No. 7 of the PostSeason, Sam Became the Third Panther to Score Seven or More Goals in Conscutive Playoff Runs, Joining Carter Verhaeghe And Sam reinhart (Who Both accomplished it in 2023 and 2024).

The hurricanes’ penalty kill was a strength leading in the conference finals-they allowed Two Power-Play Goals on 30 chances. That was the case in game 1, as they allowed two goals on three chances.

I’m sebastian Joined an Impressive List with His Game 1 Goal: He is now tied for the most goals in series -opening games in whalers/hurricanes history. The other is on the list Ray whitney, Andrei svechnikov And his head coach, Rod brind’amour.