Stanley Cup Playoffs: First Look at the Eastern Conference Finals

The final round of the conference of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs is scheduled to begin on May 17. As the two Western Conference series continue, we learn the identity of the last two teams standing in the East.

Thanks to the series wins over the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devilshe carolina hurricanes They have returned to the final round of the conference. And after defeating the winner of the Presidents Trophy boston bruins in Round 1 and the toronto maple leaves in Round 2, the florida panthers have joined them.

To get you up to speed before the Eastern Conference finals kick off, here are the key players to know, the series schedule, notable stats, and more.

Eastern Conference Finals

Schedule

Game 1 (in CAR)
Game 2 (in CAR)
Game 3 (in FLA)
Game 4 (in FLA)
Game 5 (in CAR)*
Game 6 (in FLA)*
Game 7 (in CAR)*

* if necessary

Playoffs Top Scorers

Hurricanes: C. sebastian now (5G, 5A, 10P) | L.W. jordan martinook (3G, 7A, 10P)

panthers: L.W. Matthew Tkachuk (5G, 11A, 16P) | C. Carter Verhaeghe (5G, 7A, 12P)

play

Canes advances to the Eastern final with OT winner

The Hurricanes take out the Devils on a winning OT by Jesper Fast in Game 5.

ESPN Stats and Information Notes

This will be the seventh time three brothers have met in a Stanley Cup playoff series, as eric staal and marc staal of panthers face his brother jordan staal of the Hurricanes. The previous occasions:

• 1992 Split Semifinals: Brent Sutter (CHI) def. Rich and Ron Sutter (STL)

• 1987 Division Finals: Ron Sutter (PHI) def. Duane and Brent Sutter (NYI)

• 1985 Division Finals: Ron Sutter (PHI) def. Duane and Brent Sutter (NYI)

• 1968 Semi-Finals: Barclay and Bob Plager (STL) def. Bill Plager (MIN)

• 1924 Stanley Cup Semifinals: Bobby and Billy Boucher (MTL) defeated. Frank Boucher (Vancouver Millionaires)

• 1924 NHL Final: Bobby and Billy Boucher (MTL) loss. George Boucher (OTT)

The Panthers beat a team that had 43 more points and 19 more points than them in the regular season (boston bruins), and now they will face a team that finished with 21 more points than them. The Panthers will be the fourth team to face three teams that had at least 19 more points in the regular season, joining:

• 1981 new york rangers: preliminary round vs. Kings; quarterfinal against Blues; semifinals lost to Islanders

• 1984 Montreal Canadians: division semifinals vs. bruins; division finals against Nordiques; lost conference finals to Islanders

• 1991 Minnesota North Stars: Division semifinals against Blackhawks; division finals against Blues; lost the Stanley Cup Final against the Penguins

Both the Hurricanes and Panthers have been exceptional at shutting down opposing offensive attacks when they reach the neutral zone. According to Stathletes, this is where the two clubs rank among the playoff teams in these categories:

• Neutral Zone Steals Per Game: Hurricanes 1st | panthers 3rd

• Neutral Zone Pass Interceptions Per Game: Panthers 1st | hurricanes 2nd

• Neutral zone deflections causing turnovers per game: Hurricanes 1st | panthers 2nd

The Hurricanes are back in the Eastern Conference finals for the fifth time in franchise history. Each of the last two cases that Carolina got there, he was swept in those series. The Hurricanes’ last win in the Eastern Conference finals came in Game 7 of the 2006 edition. Carolina won the Stanley Cup that year.

This is the second time the Panthers have reached the Eastern Conference finals. The previous trip was in 1996, when they defeated the pittsburgh penguins in seven games, but were swept in the Stanley Cup final by the colorado avalanche.