2023 NHL Playoffs – Eastern Conference Final – Page 2

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

Matthew Tkachuk #19 of the Florida Panthers shoots the game winning goal on Antti Raanta #32 of the Carolina Hurricanes in overtime in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Final. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

By Kurt Dusterberg / NHL.com Independent Correspondent

May 20, 2023

RALEIGH, N.C. — Matthew Tkachuk scored at 1:51 of overtime to give the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final at PNC Arena on Saturday.

Tkachuk scored 12 seconds into a power play when he buried a shot near the right post off a tic-tac-toe passing play with Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart.

It was Tkachuk’s second straight game as the overtime hero for the Panthers after he scored with 13 seconds left in the fourth overtime of a 3-2 win in Game 1 on Thursday.

Game 3 of the best-of-7 series will be in Florida on Monday.

Aleksander Barkov also scored for the Panthers, who are the second wild card from the East. Sergei Bobrovsky, who made 63 saves in Game 1, made 37 saves.

Jalen Chatfield scored for the Hurricanes, who are the No. 1 seed from the Metropolitan Division. Antti Raanta made 24 saves in his first start since Game 5 of the first round against the New York Islanders (April 25).

Chatfield gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead at 1:43 of the first period. Bobrovsky steered aside a shot from Stefan Noesen, but Sebastian Aho collected the rebound in the left circle and centered the puck to Chatfield, who redirected it just inside the right post.

Gustav Forsling appeared to tie it at 2:44, but Carolina challenged the play for offside, and the call was reversed after a video review.

Jack Drury then appeared to extend the Hurricanes’ lead at 15:56 of the first, but this time Florida challenged for offside, and again the call was reversed after a video review.

Barkov did tie the game 1-1 at 7:43 of the second period. He took a pass from Josh Mahura as he was cutting toward the net, faked a between-the-legs move, and scored with a backhand past Raanta’s outstretched glove.

Source: nhl.com