The Florida Panthers are right at home on the road.
The defending Stanley Cup champions are 6-2 as the visitors in the playoffs this spring after a 5-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in the opener of the Eastern Conference Final on Tuesday. They’ll look to keep that success going in Game 2 in Raleigh, N.C., on Thursday.
“We don’t feel necessarily any different at home than we do on the road,” Florida coach Paul Maurice said. “I think it’s because they like each other. They stick together on the bench. That’s a big part of playing on the road because you’re at an emotional deficit. Every time your opponent shoots the puck at home, the crowd goes nuts, right? …
“They’re constantly reinforcing the positive that you’re not getting from anywhere else on the road. It can be quiet on that bench on the road at times, if you let it, so I think that emotional energy comes from the players to the players.”
The Panthers are averaging an NHL-best 4.75 goals per game on the road this spring. Their 2.25 goals-against average is second in the league behind the Hurricanes, who had allowed more than two goals in a game just once at home this postseason before Tuesday’s result.
The Panthers have received a lot of production in the postseason with Eetu Luostarinen (13 points; four goals, nine assists) and Brad Marchand (12 points; three goals, nine assists) atop that list. Eight players on their roster have hit double digits in points.
“Our depth has been incredible all year, especially in the playoffs,” center Sam Bennett said. “Every line showing up, all our defense, (goalie Sergei Bobrovsky) — it really has been a full team effort every single night. It makes it a lot easier when you have every guy stepping up.”
The Hurricanes, meanwhile, will be looking to snap out of a 13-game conference final losing streak that dates back to 2009. Nine of those have come under coach Rod Brind’Amour, at the helm since 2019.
Each of the past five has come against Florida, which swept them in 2023.
“We go over and over and over how we’re going to create more scoring chances and give up less,” Brind’Amour said. “That’s the game. That’s what you’re trying to figure out. Attention to details and not giving them the freebies. For me, we gave two freebies last game. You take those off the board, now we’re in a game. That’s what we just have to find a way to do.”
Among the things they’ll be looking to do is score the game’s first goal. Carolina is 5-0 this postseason when opening the scoring and 3-3 when giving up the first goal.
“I thought the first period, especially, we created a lot of chances, especially on the rush,” forward Seth Jarvis said. “Finishing a few of those would be a different game, but that comes with you having to finish them. Having chances to score is one thing, capitalizing on them is another, but you have to get the chances.”
They know they also need to be better on special teams after going 1-for-4 on the power play, a tally that came with Florida ahead 5-1 late in the third. The Hurricanes’ usually stellar penalty kill allowed two goals on three opportunities.
–Field Level Media
