Panthers dominate Hurricanes in Eastern Conference Finals rematch. Takeaways from the win
For the third time through the first month of the season, the Florida Panthers played a game against a team they eliminated in the playoffs on their way to the Stanley Cup Final.
And just like the first two postseason rematches, the Panthers put together another valiant effort against top competition in their 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday at Amerant Bank Arena.
The Panthers improve to 8-4-1. The Hurricanes fall to 8-6-0.
Matthew Tkachuk, Uvis Balinskis, Aleksander Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe and Kevin Stenlund scored goals for Florida.
Tkachuk (one goal, one assist), Barkov (one goal, one assist) and Sam Reinhart (two assists) each had multi-point outings.
Carolina scored both of its goals — first by Jesperi Kotkaniemi 1:20 into the game and Sebastian Aho with 3:20 left in the second period — off rebounds from Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovksy, who stopped 28 of 30 shots he faced.
The Panthers last postseason swept the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals to make it to the Stanley Cup Final for just the second time in franchise history. All four games were decided by one goal and two went to overtime — including the quadruple overtime thriller to open the series.
Florida has also already played the other two teams it knocked out from the opening rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1 in their home opener on Oct. 19 and lost in overtime at the Boston Bruins on Oct. 30. Florida beat Boston in seven games in the first round of the playoffs and then ousted Toronto in five games in the second round. The Panthers’ first game this season against the Vegas Golden Knights, who won the Stanley Cup in five games, is Dec. 23.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
Strong night from the penalty kill
The Panthers’ penalty kill not only went a perfect 3 for 3 on Friday, but the group did not allow a shot on goal while playing shorthanded.
It was an encouraging night for the unit, considering Florida entered the game ranked 28th in penalty kill success rate (72.5 percent).
Uvis Balinskis scores his first
Balinskis was the surprise of training camp and it earned him a spot on the Panthers’ Opening Night roster.
And the 27-year-old defenseman, who excelled offensively the past two years in the Czech Extraliga (the top ice hockey league in the Czech Republic), finally logged his first NHL goal in his 11th game with Florida on a snap shot from up close after taking a cross-ice feed from Tkachuk.
Balinskis’ teammates celebrated with him on the bench and the home crowd gave the Latvian a rousing ovation as the goal was announced in the arena.
Balinskis is just the 17th Latvian-born player and fifth defenseman from the country. Of the five defensemen, three have played for the Panthers: Balinskis, Sandis Ozolinsh and Karlis Skrastins.
One more at home and then off to the West Coast
The Panthers return to Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday for a 1 p.m. game against the Chicago Blackhawks.
After that, they will spend the next week on the West Coast with a three-game trip to California that includes games against the San Jose Sharks (10:30 p.m. Tuesday), Los Angeles Kings (10:30 p.m. Thursday) and Anaheim Ducks (10 p.m. Friday).
And the Panthers could get some reinforcements on that trip, too. Panthers coach Paul Maurice said pregame Friday that center Sam Bennett (lower body) and defenseman Brandon Montour (offseason shoulder surgery) have a chance to return to the lineup at some point on that trip.
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