By Alain Poupart / NHL.com Independent Correspondent

May 22, 2023

SUNRISE, Fla. — Sergei Bobrovsky made 32 saves to put the Florida Panthers on the verge of the Stanley Cup Final with a 1-0 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final at FLA Live Arena on Monday.

It is his first shutout in 64 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He has 38 shutouts in 642 NHL regular-season games.

The Panthers lead the best-of-7 series 3-0. Game 4 is here Wednesday.

Sam Reinhart scored for the Panthers, the second wild card from the East. Matthew Tkachuk had an assist after scoring in overtime in each of the first two games.

Florida captain Aleksander Barkov did not play the final 7:04 of the first period following a hip check from Carolina forward Jack Drury on his final shift. He did not return.

Frederik Andersen, who did not play in Game 2, made 16 saves for the Hurricanes, the No. 1 seed in the Metropolitan Division.

Carolina almost took the lead at 1:04 of the first when Jesper Fast tipped a Brent Burns shot off the post. Bobrovsky then stopped Stefan Noesen on a breakaway with a glove save at 13:34.

Reinhart scored eight seconds into a power play at 10:05 of the second period. After receiving a pass from Tkachuk in the right face-off circle, he quickly turned around and scored with a high shot to the blocker side.

For Reinhart, his winning goal was his 4th career power-play goal in the postseason for the Panthers. He tied Ray Sheppard and Dave Lowry (all w/ 4) for the most in franchise history.

Bobrovsky made a pad save on a Seth Jarvis redirection at 17:03 before he stopped a Martin Necas redirect at 9:42 of the third period.

Tkachuk (47-81—128 in 94 GP) now has 128 points in his first season with the Panthers (regular season and playoffs combined). Only two players in NHL history have had more points in their first season with a franchise: Wayne Gretzky (190 in 1988-89 w/ LAK & 140 in 1979-80 w/ EDM) and Teemu Selanne (138 in 1992-93 w/ WIN).

Sergei Bobrovsky (132 saves) surpassed Johnny Bower (125 saves in 1960 SF vs DET) for the most saves by a goaltender through the first three games of a Conference Final/Semifinals series (since 1955-56).

Source: nhl.com, NHL Stats Resources

By NHL Public Relations

May 22, 2023

The Panthers look to move within one win of their second Stanley Cup Final appearance in franchise history as the Eastern Conference Final shifts to Sunrise for Game 3 on Monday.

The contest is carried on TNT in the U.S. as well as on Sportsnet, TVA Sports and CBC in Canada.

Matthew Tkachuk followed up his quadruple-overtime goal in Game 1 by scoring the winner just 1:51 into extra time Saturday to give Florida a 2-0 series lead. He can become the first player in Stanley Cup Playoffs history with an overtime goal in three consecutive games and four overall during a single postseason.
 
The Panthers have earned overtime wins in each of their past three contests dating to Game 5 of the Second Round when Nick Cousins had the series clincher against the Maple Leafs. Florida can become the first team in Stanley Cup Playoffs history with an overtime victory in four consecutive contests during a single postseason.

Sergei Bobrovsky made 37 saves Saturday and improved to 9-2 in 12 appearances during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs (2.32 GAA, .931 SV%). He can become the sixth NHL goaltender over the last 10 years to reach 10 wins in a postseason in 13 appearances or fewer, with that cohort featuring Frederik Andersen with the 2015 Ducks (10-2 in 12 GP).

The others to achieve the feat in that span are Andrei Vasilevskiy with the 2020 Lightning (10-3 in 13 GP), Marc-Andre Fleury with the 2018 Golden Knights (10-3 in 13 GP), Braden Holtby with the 2018 Capitals (10-3 in 13 GP) and Pekka Rinne with the 2017 Predators (10-3 in 13 GP).

The Hurricanes hope to become the ninth team in NHL history and second in as many years to win a best-of-seven Conference Finals/Semifinals series after dropping each of the first two games. They would join the 2022 Lightning, 1991 Penguins, 1984 Islanders, 1965 Black Hawks, 1963 Red Wings, 1962 Black Hawks, 1959 Maple Leafs and 1945 Red Wings.

Sebastian Aho (1-4—5 in 6 GP) recorded an assist in each of the Hurricanes’ last two games and has five career points in games taking place during the Conference Finals.

Source: NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition – May 22, 2023, NHL Stats Resources