Following the Florida Panthers’ Recreation 7 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, the NHL’s last 4 is official: The defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers will tackle the Carolina Hurricanes within the Jap Convention finals, whereas the Dallas Stars face the Edmonton Oilers within the Western Convention finals.
This Jap matchup is a rematch of the 2023 convention finals, gained by the Panthers in a sweep. Can Carolina win this time, or will Florida head again to the Stanley Cup Ultimate for a 3rd straight 12 months?
To assist get you in control earlier than the sequence begins Tuesday, we’re right here with key intel from ESPN Analysis, wagering data from ESPN BET and extra.
Paths to the convention finals:
Hurricanes: Defeated Devils in 5, Capitals in 5
Panthers: Defeated Lightning in 5, Maple Leafs in seven
Main playoff scorers:
Hurricanes: Seth Jarvis (4 targets, six assists), Sebastian Aho (three targets, seven assists)
Panthers: Brad Marchand (three targets, 9 assists), Eetu Luostarinen (three targets, 9 assists)
Schedule:
Recreation 1: Panthers at Hurricanes | Could 20, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Recreation 2: Panthers at Hurricanes | Could 22, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Recreation 3: Hurricanes at Panthers | Could 24, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Recreation 4: Hurricanes at Panthers | Could 26, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Recreation 5: Panthers at Hurricanes | Could 28, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Recreation 6: Hurricanes at Panthers | Could 30, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Recreation 7: Panthers at Hurricanes | June 1, 8 p.m. (TNT)
Collection odds:
Panthers: -125
Hurricanes: +105
Stanley Cup odds:
Panthers: +250
Hurricanes: +300
Matchup notes from ESPN Analysis
Hurricanes
The Hurricanes reached the convention finals for the sixth time in franchise historical past and third time prior to now six years. Carolina’s three convention finals appearances since 2019 are tied with the Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights for the second most within the NHL. The Dallas Stars have gone 4 occasions prior to now six years.
Logan Stankoven is predicted to make his Jap Convention finals debut, after he appeared within the Western Convention finals with the Stars final 12 months in his first NHL season. He’ll be a part of Ville Leino (2009 and 2010) as the one gamers to play in each the Jap and Western Convention finals of their first two seasons within the NHL (since 1994).
The Hurricanes have misplaced 12 straight video games within the convention finals spherical. Their final win was Recreation 7 in 2006 vs. the Buffalo Sabres, when now-coach Rod Brind’Amour scored the eventual successful purpose on an influence play with 8:38 left within the third interval after a puck-over-glass penalty. That 12-game shedding streak consists of being swept by the Panthers in 2023.
Carolina gained its tenth playoff sequence beneath Brind’Amour since 2019; solely the Lightning (11) have extra sequence wins throughout that span.
Andrei Svechnikov’s series-clinching purpose 18:01 into the third interval is the second-latest series-clinching purpose in regulation in franchise historical past. Eric Staal scored 19:28 into the third interval in Recreation 7 of the 2009 first spherical on the New Jersey Devils.
With their sequence win over Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals within the second spherical, the Hurricanes grew to become the primary staff to get rid of the NHL’s all-time main purpose scorer for the reason that 1997 Philadelphia Flyers, who ousted Wayne Gretzky and the New York Rangers within the convention finals. Brind’Amour, then with the Flyers, had the series-clinching purpose.
Panthers
The Panthers superior to their third straight convention finals with a 6-1 win over the Maple Leafs in Recreation 7 in Toronto. Florida joins the Dallas Stars in 2023-25, Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020-22, Chicago Blackhawks in 2013-15, Los Angeles Kings in 2012-14 and Detroit Pink Wings from 2007-09 as the one groups within the wage cap period (since 2005-06) to make it to 3 straight convention finals.
Florida trailed 2-0 within the sequence earlier than coming again to win 4-3, marking the primary time in franchise historical past they’ve overcome a 2-0 sequence deficit in a best-of-seven playoff sequence (that they had beforehand been 0-5). The Panthers are the seventh reigning Stanley Cup champions within the NHL’s enlargement period (since 1967-68) to win a best-of-seven playoff spherical after dealing with a 2-0 sequence deficit.
The Panthers now have a 4-1 report in Recreation 7s, together with 3-0 on the street, changing into the third franchise to win every of its first three street Recreation 7s (together with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild).
Brad Marchand had three factors for the Panthers (one purpose, two assists), giving him 10 profession factors in Recreation 7s, transferring forward of Alex Ovechkin (eight) for essentially the most Recreation 7 factors amongst lively gamers, and tied him with Paul Stastny and Jari Kurri for tenth place on the all-time listing. Marchand’s three-point whole provides him 37 profession playoff factors vs. the Maple Leafs, passing Alex Delvecchio (35) for the second most by any participant in opposition to Toronto of their playoff historical past, behind Gordie Howe (53). Marchand improved to 5-0 in opposition to the Maple Leafs in Recreation 7s for his profession, changing into the primary participant in NHL historical past to defeat one franchise in 5 winner-takes-all video games.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice additionally stayed good in Recreation 7s as a head coach, enhancing to 6-0. He’s one among two head coaches in NHL historical past to win every of his first six profession Recreation 7s, together with present Dallas bench boss Peter DeBoer (9-0).
