2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference Final

2023

By NHL Public Relations

May 24, 2023

The Panthers can clinch their second Stanley Cup Final appearance in franchise history and first since 1996 when they take a 3-0 series lead into Game 4 against the Hurricanes on Wednesday.

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

Florida is 10-1 in its last 11 contests dating to an overtime victory in Game 5 of the First Round, which kickstarted the Panthers’ rally from a 3-1 series deficit against the 65-win Bruins. Florida can become the fourth different franchise to enter the Stanley Cup Final after earning wins in 11 of its last 12 contests that postseason, following Montreal in 1993, Chicago in 1992 as well as Edmonton in 1987 and 1983.

The Panthers now sit one win away from joining the 2021 Canadiens and 2017 Predators as the third team in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to advance to the Stanley Cup Final after entering the postseason as the League’s lowest-ranked team.

The Hurricanes look to join the 1942 Maple Leafs (SCF vs. DET), 1975 Islanders (QF vs. PIT), 2010 Flyers (CSF vs. BOS) and 2014 Kings (R1 vs. SJS) as the only teams to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series.

Carolina owns an all-time record of 15-16 (.484) when facing elimination and will be doing so for the first time this postseason.

Carolina faces the task of becoming the fifth franchise in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to win a series after facing a 3-0 deficit and the first to do so during the round before the Final.

Click here to read the May 24 edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates, which featured more team and player notes heading into Game 4.

Source: NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition – May 24, 2023, NHLStats Resources – May 24, 2023 Edition

By NHL Public Relations

May 20, 2023

Game 2 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Final goes tonight after Sergei Bobrovsky and Frederik Andersen battled it out through four overtime periods in Game 1 while Matthew Tkachuk played the role of hero in the sixth-longest contest in NHL history.

Should Florida and Carolina require more than 60 minutes again for Game 2, it would be the eighth Conference Finals/Semifinals series in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to require overtime in each of the first two contests and first since the 1977 Semifinals between Boston and Philadelphia.

* Florida now has its sights set on becoming the sixth lower-seeded team in the past 15 years to take a 2-0 lead in the Conference Finals and would join Washington (2018 at TBL), NY Rangers (2014 at MTL), Boston (2013 at PIT), Los Angeles (2012 at PHX) and Chicago (2010 at SJS). The Bruins, Kings and Blackhawks also skated to 3-0 series leads.

Brent Burns (22-49—71 in 106 GP), with points in three straight games, collected a helper on one of two Hurricanes goals in Game 1 and now sits one assist shy of 50 in his playoff career. He also sits one contest shy of becoming the third defenseman in Stanley Cup Playoffs history with a four-game point streak at age 38 or older (Ray Bourque:6 GP in 2001 w/ COL & Nicklas Lidstrom:4 GP in 2008 w/ DET).

DID YOU KNOW? Thursday’s quadruple-overtime win had a ripple effect on Records.NHL.com, with multiple new entries including the sixth-longest contest in NHL history, Panthers and Hurricanes franchise records for saves in a game as well as Florida’s seventh consecutive road victory. Brandon Montour played a pivotal role in the contest, leading all skaters with 57:56 time on ice which also included 8.96 miles of skating distance.

Florida now has its sights set on becoming the sixth lower-seeded team in the past 15 years to take a 2-0 lead in the Conference Finals and would join Washington (2018 at TBL), NY Rangers (2014 at MTL), Boston (2013 at PIT), Los Angeles (2012 at PHX) and Chicago (2010 at SJS). The Bruins, Kings and Blackhawks also skated to 3-0 series leads.

Matthew Tkachuk has factored on three overtime goals for the Panthers this postseason, one shy of the most by any player in a single playoff year in NHL history. The only players with more: Jarome Iginla (4 in 2004 w/ CGY), Adam Oates (4 in 2003 w/ ANA) and Ray Ferraro (4 in 1993 w/ NYI).

Florida has won seven consecutive road games dating back to Game 2 of the First Round against Boston. The only team with a longer such streak within a single postseason is Los Angeles in 2012 (10-0).

Brent Burns (38 years, 70 days) looks to extend his point streak to four games. Only two defensemen in NHL history have had a playoff point streak of as many games at age 38 or older: Ray Bourque (6 GP in 2001 w/ COL) and Nicklas Lidstrom (4 GP in 2008 w/ DET).

The Hurricanes have scored nine power-play goals this postseason, with two of them coming on Thursday night. The only other playoff years where they recorded at least 10 is 2006 (31) and 2002 (16).

Source: NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Playoffs Edition – May 20, 2023, NHL Stats Resources