RALEIGH — The Hurricanes find themselves down 1-0 in the Eastern Conference final after dropping Tuesday’s Game 1 at home to the Florida Panthers, 5-2. Carolina will need to bounce back in Thursday’s Game 2 to avoid heading to South Florida down two games in the series.
1. It was a tough Game 1 for rookie defenseman Scott Morrow in his NHL playoff debut, subbing for Jalen Chatfield, who missed his second consecutive game with an injury.
In his first game in nearly a month, Morrow played 12:18 and registered three shots on goal. He was also on the ice for three of Florida’s five goals and in the penalty box for another — not exactly a night he’d want to remember.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour seemed more optimistic Wednesday about Chatfield’s chances of playing in Game 2, saying the defenseman is more “day to day” while adding he’d need to be cleared medically and be determined to be the best option for him to play.
“All the athletes want to play,” Brind’Amour said at Wednesday’s media availability. “But if they’re not capable, they’re not capable.”
Chatfield skated with the extras Wednesday morning before the team’s media availability, and getting him back in the lineup would be a boost for Carolina as it looks to avoid a 2-0 series hole on Thursday night.
If Chatfield can’t play, Brind’Amour may go back to Alexander Nikishin, who had struggles of his own in his first NHL game in Carolina’s series-clinching Game 5 win in Washington over the Capitals.
2. The Hurricanes’ penalty kill was 28 for 30 in the first two rounds of the playoffs, the best among any team this postseason. But Carolina couldn’t contain Florida’s power play in Game 1, allowing two goals on three chances, including the game’s first goal.
“I think we’ve got to stick with the plan,” defenseman Jaccob Slavin said Wednesday. “I think we’ve got to be smart out there and not take penalties that don’t need to be taken and give their power play opportunities that don’t need to be had. But we’re all over it on the penalty kill. We’ve just got to stay with it and keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
Slavin said miscommunication led to Florida’s power play success in Game 1, adding that the Hurricanes “just need to block shots too.”
What will be key for the Hurricanes is to not unravel on the PK as they have in past playoff exits. The Panthers’ power play is clicking, and Carolina needs to at least play even with them on special teams to have a shot in the series.
One thing to keep an eye on: Jordan Martinook, one of the Hurricanes’ top penalty-killing forwards, has been limited at practices of late, and he seemed to not have his usual burst in Game 1.
Purely speculation, but whatever is ailing him could stem from a blocked shot in Game 3 against the Capitals.
There are many examples why he's called the heart and soul of the locker room, and here's another one.
A crucial block from Jordan Martinook to take away what could have been Washington getting on the board. pic.twitter.com/QpvaQmBAUO
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) May 11, 2025
3. While much of the story of Game 1 was Florida winning the special teams battle, Carolina did get a late power play goal and otherwise looked effective.
The top unit of Sebastian Aho, Jackson Blake, Shayne Gostisbehere, Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov had six shots on goal and was credited with eight scoring chances — including three high-danger chances — in under five minutes of 5-on-4 ice time (Gostisbehere missed about a minute of that in the penalty box), with Blake scoring in the third period.
“I thought, for the most part, our power play was pretty good last night,” Blake said Wednesday. “At the end of the day … it’s about capitalizing. Maybe if we put one in earlier, it’s a different game. Obviously we get that one late; the game’s pretty much over then. But I thought the power play was good. We’ve just got to continue to build on it because it’s going to be a huge thing the next couple games.”
4. Jarvis was asked about his missed redirection in front that didn’t find its mark on an early power play in Game 1 and if it stuck in his craw, given how the game unraveled.
“No,” said Jarvis with a steely glare. “People miss shots all the time, and not everything’s going to go in. We’re playing a great goalie. You’ve got to move on from it.”
Whether Jarvis truly feels that way or not is up for interpretation, but it’s undeniably the right thing to say and shows a step forward in the 23-year-old’s ongoing development. Jarvis has been tough on himself in the past and even vocal about it.
And while he was understandably not his fun-loving self following the Game 1 loss, he was able to move past — or at least put on the facade of doing so — any negativity from the series opener.
“He’s matured as a player, and you have to move on,” Brind’Amour said. “He had a good game. I think he understands he’s a big part of what we’re doing. We need him dialed in on the next shift. We’re always focusing on what you’ve done is out the window now. What about the next shift? He’s done a really good really good job all year, I think, on doing that.”
5. The Hurricanes fell into a 2-0 hole in Game 1, forcing them to, as Brind’Amour is quick to call such situations, “chase the game.” Carolina knows getting a lead is key to success in this series.
“That’s extremely important,” Slavin said. “Both teams, we kind of have the same game plan of getting in and out as quick as we can and keeping it in the O zone as much as possible.
“And so anytime you can get a lead with that style play, it’s huge. It’s hard to dig yourself out of a hole, especially this time of year when every team’s playing that way. And so, yeah, it’s huge to get off to a good start, and also, and also not dig yourself that hole.”
Carolina scored first in half of their 10 games in the first two rounds and also showed an ability to rally from behind against the Devils and Capitals. That won’t be as easy against the playoff-hardened Panthers.
“They’re the reigning Cup champs,” Slavin said. “They know how to play this time of year. They’re a good team. … And so it’s a battle. It’s definitely a battle out there.”
