The Panthers continued their title protection with a five-goal displaying in Carolina to open the Convention Finals. Their 4.75 street objectives per sport is at present the League’s fifth-highest common by a crew in a single postseason (min. 5 GP).
* 5 of the ten highest-scoring Finnish gamers in Stanley Cup Playoffs historical past are competing within the 2025 Convention Finals – Florida’s Aleksander Barkov and Carolina’s Sebastian Aho, who each recorded some extent Tuesday, in addition to Mikko Rantanen, Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen, who will all take to the ice with Dallas tonight.
* Connor McDavid and Mikko Rantanen can be a part of uncommon franchise and NHL firm when the Stars and Oilers open their second straight Western Convention Last collection tonight (8 p.m. ET on ESPN, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS).
PANTHERS SKATE TO 1-0 SERIES LEAD IN 2025 EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL
Aleksander Barkov factored on Carter Verhaeghe’s game-opening aim earlier than the Panthers went on to attain 5 and take a 1-0 collection lead within the 2025 Japanese Convention Last. In doing so, Florida handed Carolina its first residence lack of the postseason. Groups that win Sport 1 of a best-of-seven collection personal an all-time collection file of 534-250 (.681), together with 9-3 throughout the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* WATCH HERE for full highlights from Panthers–Hurricanes Sport 1.
* Florida has scored 38 objectives via its first eight street video games of the playoffs, tied with Colorado (38 in 2022) for probably the most by a crew via that sport depend of a postseason in NHL historical past. Essentially the most via 10 contests is 43, achieved by the Avalanche in 2022 en path to the franchise’s third Stanley Cup.
* The Panthers are at present main all groups in wins as guests to date this postseason with six – two forward of the next-closest crew (EDM w/ 4) – and have wins in every of their previous three, outscoring opponents 17-4 over that stretch. Florida has had extra street victories in a single postseason twice: 2023 (8) and 2024 (7).
* The Panthers prolonged their playoff profitable streak towards the Hurricanes to 5 video games courting to Game 1 of the 2023 Conference Final. The final crew to earn 5 consecutive wins towards a single opponent within the spherical earlier than the Last was the Pink Wings towards the Blackhawks (6 GP from Game 4 of 1966 SF to Game 3 of 1995 CF).
* Barkov (0-1—1) grew to become the primary participant in Panthers historical past with 70 profession postseason factors (22-48—70) and the seventh Finnish participant to succeed in the mark. The listing is topped by Jari Kurri (233), Esa Tikkanen (132), Mikko Rantanen (120), Teemu Selanne (88), Valtteri Filppula (86) and Sebastian Aho (81).
QUICK CLICKS
* Western Conference Final between Oilers, Stars poised to be great series
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* Sky Deutschland and the NHL extend partnership
* Kraken, NHL, One Roof Foundation officially launched Verlo Sport Courta, a legacy to 2024 Discover NHL Winter Classic
* Nearly 19 million Canadians watched Second Round of 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Dallas entertains Edmonton in Sport 1 of Western Convention Last tonight
Evan Bouchard, Connor McDavid and the Oilers go to Thomas Harley, Mikko Rantanen and the Stars to open the second straight Western Convention Last collection between the franchises tonight. The competition begins at 8 p.m. ET and is on the market on ESPN and ESPN+ within the U.S. in addition to on Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports activities in Canada.
* Bouchard (17-53—70 in 64 GP), who was chosen with the No. 10 choose within the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airways Heart, has profession averages of 1.09 factors per sport within the playoffs and 0.69 throughout the regular season. The distinction of 0.40 is by far the very best in NHL historical past (min. 50 GP in playoffs & common season), forward of ahead Jude Drouin (0.94 in playoffs; 0.68 in regular season) who ranks second.
* McDavid leads Edmonton into its third Western Convention Last look over the previous 4 seasons after defeating Dallas in 2024 and falling to Rantanen and Colorado in 2022. McDavid bookended the collection towards the Stars with the double-overtime winner in Game 1 and the first help on the clinching aim throughout Game 6.
* Harley (4-7—11 in 13 GP) had the extra time clincher in Game 6 of the Second Round and ranks second in factors amongst defensemen this postseason behind Bouchard (4-8—12 in 11 GP). Harley has scored 11 objectives (common season & playoffs) since being added to Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster on Feb. 15, which marks the very best mixed whole amongst all blueliners in that span.
* Rantanen recorded a aim in every of his first 4 playoff video games towards the Oilers. He can grow to be the fourth lively participant to tally in every of his first 5 profession postseason contests versus a franchise, following Valeri Nichushkin towards the Jets (5 GP in 2024 R1), Zach Hyman towards the Flames (5 GP in 2022 R2) and Jake Guentzel towards the Rangers (5 GP in 2022 R1).
