The Panthers captured their third consecutive Eastern Conference title. They reached the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight season and fourth time in franchise history. Florida became the fourth NHL franchise since the 1979-80 season to get to the Stanley Cup Final in three or more straight times.
The Hurricanes exited the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the third round against the Panthers for the second time in the past three seasons. The Canes have lost 16 of their last 17 Eastern Conference Finals contests.
Carolina jumped to a 1-0 lead at the 4:39 mark of the first period. Sebastian Aho intercepted a Gustav Forsling pass in the neutral zone. He skated down the middle of the ice on a breakaway and took a wrist shot from the high slot past Sergei Bobrovsky for his sixth goal of the playoffs.
The Hurricanes increased it to 2-0 with 1:06 left in the first. Niko Mikkola turned the puck over at the red line as Seth Jarvis touched it. Aho carried it into the Panthers zone on the right side and released a forehand shot from above the right circle for his second tally of the contest and seventh postseason goal.
Florida cut the deficit to 2-1 with the man advantage at 7:23 of the second period. Seth Jones fed the puck to Aaron Ekblad at the top of the zone. His shot was redirected in by Matthew Tkachuk from the top of the crease by Frederik Andersen for his fifth goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Panthers tied it up 2-2 just 30 seconds later. Tkachuk pushed a square pass in the neutral zone. Evan Rodrigues brought it into the Carolina and angled a pass to his left. Sam Bennett returned it to him from the left wing and Rodrigues steered it in from the crease area for his first goal in the series. It was the first goal for Rodrigues in 17 postseason games going back to Game 5 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
The Cats took a 3-2 lead with 8:01 remaining in the second. Anton Lundell won a faceoff in the left circle. Brad Marchand centered it from the low left circle and Lundell tipped it in from the top of the crease for his fifth goal of the postseason.
In the third period, the Canes evened it up 3-3 at the 8:30 mark. Shayne Gostisbehere stopped a clearing pass on the left point. Andrei Svechnikov chipped a pass from the left circle and Jarvis lifted a wrist shot from the low slot for his sixth playoff goal.
Florida reclaimed the lead 4-3 with 7:39 to go in the third. Sam Reinhart cycled the puck from the right wing. Aleksander Barkov came out from the end wall and backhanded a cross-ice pass from the left goal line. Carter Verhaeghe scored his sixth postseason goal when he snapped a shot from the right goal line.
Carolina pulled their goalie with 2:30 remaining during a power play for an extra attacker. The Panthers made it 5-3 with 54 seconds left in the third period. Sam Bennett came out of the penalty box, picked up the puck in the right corner, skated to the blue paint and put in an empty-net tally for his NHL-leading 10th goal in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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