The Panthers have won 11 of their last 12 playoff games. Florida became the third team since the National Hockey League expansion era started in 1967-68 to be the lowest-seeded team to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. The Nashville Predators accomplished it in 2017 and the Montreal Canadiens did it in 2021.The Cats also reached the Stanley Cup Final as the lowest playoff seed that swept in the Stanley Cup Semifinals since the NHL expanded.
Florida rocketed out to a 1-0 lead just 41 seconds into the first period. Aleksander Barkov made a pass in the slot area and Carter Verhaeghe angled a pass to his right. Anthony Duclair took a forehand shot from the right of the crease which was saved by Frederik Andersen. Duclair scored on his second chance from the same spot for his third goal of the playoffs.
The Panthers increased it to 2-0 on the power play with 9:37 left in the first. Gustav Forsling passed the puck from the top of the zone. Aaron Ekblad released a wrist shot from above the top right circle that was deflected by a Hurricanes defender. Matthew Tkachuk snapped a shot from the top of the crease for his eighth goal of the postseason.
Carolina closed it to 2-1 with 6:57 remaining in the first period. Jordan Martinook backhanded the puck from the left wing to the left point. Brady Skjei blasted a slap shot that was redirected by Paul Stastny in the low slot that was stopped by Sergei Bobrovsky. Stastny poked in the rebound from the blue paint for his fourth tally of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In the second period, the Canes evened it up again 2-2 at 2:51. The Panthers turned the puck over behind their own cage. Jesperi Kotkaniemi passed it out from the low left circle. Skjei took a snap shot that was blocked in the slot area. Martin Necas put in a forehand shot from the low slot for his fifth goal of the postseason.
The Cats reclaimed the lead 3-2 at the 9:49 mark. Ryna Lomberg stole the puck at the right point and passed it ahead to Eric Staal in the right circle. He sent a backhand pass across the low slot area. Colin White slipped a pass from the left of the crease and Lomberg steered the puck into a half-empty net for his first goal.
The Hurricanes tied it 3-3 with 3:22 to go in the third period. Jalen Chatfield cycled the puck from the right wing. Martinook made a backhand centering pass from the end wall. Jesper Fast one-timed a shot from the low slot for his sixth goal of the playoffs.
Florida regained the lead 4-3 on the power play with 4.3 seconds left in the third. Sam Reinhart placed a wrist shot from the left-circle dot wide left of the net. Barkov centered the puck from the right circle. Tkachuk skated to the top of the crease and scored on a forehand shot from the low slot for his second of the contest and ninth goal of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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