Games 1 and 2 have not gone the Carolina Hurricanes’ way. Not only are they down 2-0 in the series, but the Florida Panthers have outscored them 10-2 on aggregate in those two matchups.
Will there be pushback in Games 3 and 4 in South Florida — and if so, who will lead it?
Here are matchup notes heading into Saturday’s Game 3 from ESPN Research, as well as betting intel from ESPN BET:
More: Game 2 recap | Grades
Matchup notes
Carolina Hurricanes at Florida Panthers
Game 3 | 8 p.m. ET | TNT
With a 2-0 lead in the series, the Panthers are now -700 to win this round, per ESPN BET, while the Hurricanes are +425. Florida’s Stanley Cup odds are the shortest among the final four, at +120, while Carolina’s are +1100. The Panther with the shortest Conn Smythe odds is Aleksander Barkov (+1200); Carolina’s top candidate by the odds is a three-way tie among Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis (at +6000).
The Panthers have a plus-18 goal differential over their last four road playoff games. This surpasses the 1978 Montreal Canadiens (+17) for the highest goal differential in a span of four road games in Stanley Cup playoffs history. Their 43 goals in nine road playoff games is the most goals in the first nine road games of a single playoff year in Stanley Cup playoffs history; the old record was 41, set by the 2022 Colorado Avalanche.
Seven Florida defenseman have scored a goal this postseason (Gustav Forsling scored at 1:17 of the first period of Game 2), matching the record for most by one team in a single playoff year, joining the 1987 Edmonton Oilers, 1988 Calgary Flames, 1991 Pittsburgh Penguins, 1994 Washington Capitals, 2019 Boston Bruins and 2021 Vegas Golden Knights.
Sam Bennett’s nine goals this postseason is his career best for a single playoff year (previous high was seven in 2024). That’s also two goals shy of a Panthers franchise record for goals in a single playoff year, set by Matthew Tkachuk in 2023 and matched by Carter Verhaeghe in 2024.
Sergei Bobrovsky authored his third shutout this postseason, which breaks his own franchise record for shutouts in a single playoff year (two in 2024).
This was the 14th straight loss in a conference finals game for the Hurricanes; it extends their own record for most losses in the round before the Stanley Cup Final (either conference finals or Stanley Cup semifinals) in Stanley Cup playoffs history.
A 5-0 loss in Game 2 was the worst home shutout loss in Whalers/Hurricanes Stanley Cup playoff history; the previous worst were 4-0 losses to the New Jersey Devils in 2001 and to the Bruins in 2019. The Canes’ total of 17 shots on goal is tied for third fewest in a game in the franchise’s postseason history.
Canes goalie Frederik Andersen had a 1.57 goals-against average and .936 save percentage against the Devils, then a 1.19 GAA and .937 SV% against the Capitals. Through two games against the Panthers, he has a 5.54 GAA and .750 SV%.
Aho (29 points), Svechnikov (22), Jarvis (21) and Shayne Gostisbehere (21) led the Hurricanes in scoring in away games in the regular season. Unfortunately for Carolina, it was blanked 6-0 in its lone game at Amerant Bank Arena, the site of Games 3 and 4.
Scoring leaders
GP: 14 | G: 9 | A: 4
GP: 12 | G: 4 | A: 8