3 Takeaways from Panthers’ 5-0 Game 2 Rout of the Hurricanes

The Florida Panthers continued their dominant postseason run on Thursday night with a 5-0 dismantling of the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final, taking a commanding 2-0 series lead. The defending 2024 Stanley Cup champions are looking every bit like a team ready for a repeat, and here are three key takeaways from Thursday’s win.

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Sergei Bobrovsky is Building a Conn Smythe Case

Sergei Bobrovsky was tested only 17 times in the game, most of the pressure coming in the third period when the game was out of reach. That said, he was in peak form again, earning his third shutout of the 2025 playoffs.

Bobrovsky now boasts a 1.21 goals-against average and .952 save percentage over his last five starts. The 36-year-old netminder, already with five career playoff shutouts, is proving indispensable to Florida’s quest for back-to-back titles. If the Hurricanes stand a chance, they’ll need to shake his confidence by having a game where they get several goals past him.

Panthers Rewrite Narrative on the Road

After going 20-19-2 on the road during the 2024 regular season, the Panthers have completely flipped the script in the playoffs. They’ve outscored opponents 22-4 in their last four road games, including a 5-2 win in Game 1 and now a 5-0 blowout in Game 2. Returning to Florida, they are in complete control of this Eastern Conference Finals series.

The Panthers have embraced the idea of going into potentially hostile environments and turning up the heat on the road. The fact that they had Carolina fans yelling “shoot” to its own players when they were behind their own goal line shows how effective Florida has been in getting into their opponents kitchen and doing all the cooking.

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Sam Bennett’s Stock is Soaring

With his ninth goal of the playoffs, Sam Bennett is now tied with Mikko Rantanen for the league lead. Acquired in 2021 from Calgary for a second-round pick and prospect Emil Heineman, Bennett has blossomed into a playoff star. His current $4.425 million cap hit looks like a bargain, and with free agency looming, TSN’s Martin Biron wonders if Bennett could command upwards of $10 million per season. He’ll certainly get $8 million per, and if Florida can’t retain him, there will be no shortage of suitors lining up at that number.

Carolina has a tall task ahead. Florida looks poised for a third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance—and they’re only getting better as these games roll on.

The one negative is Sam Reinhart‘s potential injury status. He left the game early after taking a hit. Head coach Paul Maurice says Reinhart will be examined Friday, and there’s concern it could be serious.

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