RALEIGH, N.C. — Carter Verhaeghe and Aaron Ekblad scored two tone-setting first-period targets whereas Sergei Bobrovsky remained sturdy in internet because the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 in Tuesday evening’s opener of their Jap Convention closing sequence.
A.J. Greer added a aim by ending off an ideal 2-on-1 transition likelihood within the second interval for Florida, whereas Sam Bennett added a third-period rating that erased any lingering doubt — solely to see Eetu Luostarinen added one other one late to make it 5-1 and hold pouring it on.
Bobrovsky held up with 31 saves, together with throughout a stretch through which the Panthers did not get a shot on aim for greater than quarter-hour spanning the second intermission. It got here 48 hours after the Panthers had crushed Toronto in a highway Recreation 7 to advance and arrange a rematch of the Jap closing from two years in the past.
Florida swept that one with 4 one-goal margins, together with Recreation 1 in 4 overtimes. And simply as earlier than, the Panthers have instantly ripped home-ice benefit from a staff that was 5-0 at house in these playoffs.
Sebastian Aho tallied Carolina’s lone rating when the result was doubtful, with Seth Jarvis’ move banging off Aho’s proper skate to slip underneath Bobrovsky within the dying seconds of the primary to make it 2-1. However Florida acquired Greer’s end off a backhand feed from Niko Mikkola to beat Frederik Andersen to push the margin again to 2 targets early within the second.
Andersen had been elite within the postseason, however discovered himself alone with Verhaeghe on the fringe of the crease for a fast power-play aim that beat him to the higher proper nook. He was later shielded by Brad Marchand on Bennett’s rating, which fittingly ended the 15-minute stretch with no shot on aim.
These each got here with the person benefit, a obvious stat towards Carolina’s penalty kill that had been the postseason’s finest by permitting two targets by way of two rounds.
Jackson Blake scored a late aim for Carolina in a end that included Marchand being tossed for a game-misconduct penalty — together with being escorted off by an official whereas shouting again towards middle ice — after a combat with Carolina’s Shayne Gostisbehere.
The loss marked Carolina’s thirteenth straight in a convention closing, going again being swept in 2009, 2019 and 2023.
Recreation 2 is again at Carolina on Thursday evening.
