▶️ NHL PLAYOFFS – An air of deja vu at the PNC Arena

Playoffs – Conference Finals

Carolina Hurricanes – Florida Panthers: 1-2 OT

BECAUSE: Chatfield
FLA: Barkov, Tkachuk

It was deja vu at the PNC Arena : the Panthers and the Hurricanes had to resort to overtime to decide, Matthew Tkachuk (1-0-1) scoring – again – to end Game 2, but this time it only took 1:51 of extra time. Florida extended their road winning streak to eight games, setting the second-longest postseason streak in NHL history, behind Los Angeles in their 2012 Stanley Cup championship (10 GP) .

• Tkachuk scored his third goal in overtime of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs – and his second in as many games – tying Corey Perry (3 in 2017), Maurice Richard (3 in 1951) and Mel Hill (3 in 1939) for the most in a single playoff year in NHL history. He also equaled Carter Verhaeghe for the most in Panthers history.
• The Panthers became the second team in NHL history to win each of their first six games that required overtime in a single postseason, joining the 2003 Ducks (7 GP).
• The 2023 Eastern Conference Finals has seen the teams go 201:38 so far in Games 1 and 2 – all with the Panthers and Hurricanes within a goal of each other. Only three other series in NHL history have had their first two games as close (tie or one-goal difference): the 1936 semi-final between the Red Wings and the Maroons (233:28), the -1951 final between the Canadiens and the Red Wings (223:29) and the 2020 first round between the Lightning and the Blue Jackets (201:54).
• The Panthers and Hurricanes became the fifth series in NHL history to see over 200 minutes of playing time in the first two meetings, reaching the 1936 semifinals (236:30; DET vs. MMR ), the 1951 semifinals (223:29; MTL vs. DET), the 2020 first round (210:27; TBL vs. CBJ) and the 2003 conference semifinals (202:32; ANA vs. .DAL).