The defending champion Florida Panthers have a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals because they played a perfect defensive game in Thursday’s 5-0 victory.
The Carolina Hurricanes’ losing streak in the conference finals hit 14 games because they compounded that with defensive mistakes.
Goalie Frederik Andersen, the talk of the NHL through two rounds, was replaced after two periods because he gave up four goals on 16 shots.
But the first goal followed a turnover. Two Carter Verhaeghe wraparounds led to goals because his teammates outraced their coverage. Andrei Svechnikov took a bad penalty before Sam Bennett scored the first of his two goals.
Gustav Forsling gave Florida another goal from a defenseman and Matthew Tkachuk ended a 10-game goal drought. The Tkachuk-Bennett-Verhaeghe line combined for eight points.
In the meantime, Carolina couldn’t muster any pressure: three shots in the first period and four in the second. A Sebastian Aho goal was wiped out after an offside review. Sergei Bobrovsky finished with a 17-save shutout.
‘I don’t know what I was watching in that first period, and that didn’t go well,’ Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said.
The only blemish for Florida was star Sam Reinhart leaving the game with a lower-body injury after an Aho hit.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice didn’t have an update on Reinhart after the game.
USA TODAY provided live updates from Game 2 between the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers. Highlights:
Hurricanes vs. Panthers highlights
Game recap
Panthers-Hurricanes final score: Panthers 5, Hurricanes 0
A dominant effort from start to finish for the Panthers. Game 3 will be Saturday in Sunrise, Florida.
Panthers-Hurricanes score: Aleksander Barkov goal
The Panthers were on the power play because Brent Burns played with a broken stick. Barkov tips in an Aaron Ekblad shot for the goal. That’s two power play goals in back-to-back games for the Panthers against the Hurricanes. Panthers 5, Hurricanes 0
Hurricanes go on power play
Eetu Luostarinen is called for tripping. No shots on the power play, but Seth Jarvis was out there after going to the dressing room earlier.
Seth Jarvis goes to dressing room
Not good news for Carolina. He was hit by Niko Mikkola.
Hurricanes go on power play
A.J. Greer is called for tripping. Panthers kill it off.
Hurricanes goalie change as third period starts
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour puts Pyotr Kochetkov in net at the start of the third period. Frederik Andersen gave up four goals on 16 shots.
End of second period: Panthers 4, Hurricanes 0
Things were looking better for Carolina when Sebastian Aho scored early. But it didn’t stick. The Panthers challenged for offsides and the replay showed that Brent Burns had knocked the puck back in the zone after it came out. The goal was overturned. The Hurricanes managed only four shots in that period and Sam Bennett scored. The only bad news for the Panthers: Sam Reinhart (lower body) was ruled out of the game after an Aho hit in the first period.
Panthers-Hurricanes score: Sam Bennett scores again
Carter Verhaeghe makes a wraparound and Bennett knocks in the rebound for his ninth goal of the playoffs. That ties him with Dallas’ Mikko Rantanen for the league lead. Panthers 4, Hurricanes 0
Sean Walker injury update
He has returned to the Carolina bench.
Sean Walker injury update
The Hurricanes defenseman heads to the dressing room after a hit by Florida’s A.J. Greer.
Sam Reinhart injury update
The Panthers say Sam Reinhart (lower body) won’t return to the game. He was hit by Sebastian Aho in the first period.
Hurricanes goal overturned on review
Sebastian Aho scores, but the Panthers challenge for offsides. Review concurs. Still 3-0 Florida.
Second period underway
Hurricanes have 33 seconds of power play left. and that’s killed. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour stays with Frederik Andersen in net.
End of first period: Panthers 3, Hurricanes 0
Definitely not the period that Carolina needed to end its 13-game losing streak in the conference finals. Defensive breakdowns. Bad penalty by Andrei Svechnikov. Frederik Andersen gives up three goals on five shots. Little pressure from Carolina. Florida’s Sam Bennett-Matthew Tkachuk-Carter Verhaeghe line has combined for six points.
Hurricanes go on power play
Too many men on the ice for Florida. Panthers get some big blocks there. There will be a 33 second carryover on the power play.
Hurricanes-Panthers score: Sam Bennett goal
The Hurricanes seemed to have things under control on that Florida power play and even had a short-handed chance. But Verhaeghe picks up the puck after his shot is blocked and fires toward Frederik Andersen. The shot is deflected in by Bennett. Three goals on five shots for Florida. Panthers 3, Hurricanes 0
Panthers go on power play
Andrei Svechnikov punches Matthew Tkachuk in the back of the head.
Hurricanes-Panthers score: Matthew Tkachuk doubles lead
Carter Verhaeghe comes out from behind the net and his centering pass is knocked in by Matthew Tkachuk, ending his 10-game goal drought. Defensive breakdown there by Carolina. Panthers 2, Hurricanes 0
Hurricanes-Panthers score: Quick goal by Florida
Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling scores after a turnover at 1:17. It’s his first goal of the 2025 playoffs. Florida defensemen now have 13 this postseason. Panthers 1, Hurricanes 0
Game underway
Jordan Staal line vs. the Aleksander Barkov lineup.
What time is Hurricanes vs. Panthers NHL playoff game?
Game 2 of the Carolina Hurricanes-Florida Panthers series is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday in Raleigh, North Carolina.
How to watch Hurricanes vs. Panthers NHL playoff game: TV, stream
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Lenovo Center (Raleigh, North Carolina)
TV: TNT
Stream: Sling TV, Max
Hurricanes lineup
Jalen Chatfield out again
The NHL roster report lists Chatfield as a scratch and rookie defenseman Scott Morrow in the lineup, as he was for Game 1. Morrow had three shots and was a minus-3 in his NHL playoff debut.
Panthers lineup
Jesperi Kotkaniemi listed among scratches
It looks like he’ll be the person who’s sitting out as Mark Jankowski returns to the lineup. Kotkaniemi has three points in 11 games this postseason.
Goaltender matchup
Hurricanes’ Frederik Andersen (7-3, 1.74 goals-against average, .919 save percentage) vs. Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky (9-4, 2.29, .905).
Mark Jankowski injury update
Hurricanes forward Mark Jankowski is “a good option” for Game 2, coach Rod Brind’Amour said. He left Game 1 of the second round against the Washington Capitals with an injury.
Jalen Chatfield injury update
Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield skated Thursday morning after missing the past two games with an undisclosed injury. If Chatfield can’t go, Brind’Amour indicated he would lean toward having Scott Morrow over Alexander Nikishin in the lineup.
‘He understands our game a little better because he’s been playing it for a year,’ Brind’Amour said of Morrow.
Panthers vs. Hurricanes history
The Panthers have won five consecutive playoff games against the Hurricanes.
Panthers’ second-round win costly to Maple Leafs president
Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan won’t have his contract renewed after the team fell short again in the playoffs.
The Maple Leafs have a nine-year playoff streak under Shanahan, who was hired in 2014, and reached the second round this season for the second time since 2004. They won the first two games against the Florida Panthers in the second round. But they lost the series in seven games. Games 5 and 7 were 6-1 blowout losses at home.
‘It was determined that a new voice was required to take the team to the next level in the years ahead,’ MLSE President and CEO Keith Pelley said in a statement on Thursday.