The Florida Panthers have a 1-0 series lead over the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final. Just two days after winning Game 7 in Toronto in blowout fashion, the Panthers smothered the Hurricanes with a 5-2 win in Game 1.

Carolina playoff games, the Panthers are converting on the power play at twice the usual rate anyone has against the Hurricanes. That’s a strength that has to be a strength for Carolina.

Just 48 hours after beating Toronto in Game 7, Florida became the first team in these playoffs to win in Carolina.

If they want to defend their title, the Panthers have to go through a much more well-rested Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final. The Panthers went into Toronto Sunday night and flexed their postseason prowess with a 6-1 blowout in Game 7.

After a dominant 6-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 of the second round, the Florida Panthers' offense kept rolling into the Eastern Conference Finals.

That’s five straight playoff losses to the Panthers, and 13 straight in this round, period, for the Hurricanes since June 1, 2006. Eric Staal and Erik Cole were on the ice that night; their efforts to cheer the team on from a suite Tuesday went unheeded.

Florida Panthers Coach Paul Maurice said he "didn't love" his team's play despite a 5-2 thrashing of the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The Florida Panthers grabbed a 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, but it wasn’t all routine. A third-period incident involving Brad Marchand and Shayne Gostisbehere sparked the first controversy of the series.