Panthers win big in Game 1: Grades for both teams, players to watch for Game 2

One team had four days to prepare, while the other barely had 48 hours. And yet... the Florida Panthers -- after beating the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 7 on Sunday -- once again applied an aggressive approach in a 5-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday.

Practically every championship team has developed certain characteristics they've relied upon over time. That includes the Panthers. One of the ways they've advanced to three consecutive conference finals has been to gain a second-period lead. Taking a 3-1 advantage into the final period led to the Panthers closing out an opponent en route to winning their 28th straight playoff game in which they've led after two frames.

Exactly how did both teams perform? Who are the players to watch next game, and what are the big questions facing the Hurricanes and Panthers ahead of Game 2 on Thursday?

Carolina Hurricanes
Grade: C-

The way that the Hurricanes owned possession was instrumental in how they beat both the New Jersey Devils and the Washington Capitals in order to reach the conference finals for the second time in the last three seasons. They had that control in Game 1, with Natural Stat Trick's metrics showing that their shot-share was 56%.

But it was the lack of control that proved crippling -- which was the case when a turnover led to A.J. Greer giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead. The Panthers were also able to play those quick-passing sequences, which accounted for why they went 2-for-3 on the extra-skater advantage against what was the top penalty kill entering the conference finals, at 93.3%. -- Clark

Florida Panthers
Grade: A-

Florida picked up where it left off in Game 7 of their second-round Eastern Conference playoff series against Toronto on Sunday -- by dominating another opponent.

The Panthers and Hurricanes exchanged chances early in the first period, but once Carter Verhaeghe had Florida on the board they were in control to the finish.

That's not to say Carolina didn't push back. The Hurricanes generated some superb opportunities in the second period, and Panthers' netminder Sergei Bobrovsky had to be sharp, which has been his resting state since midway through that second-round clash with Toronto. Bobrovsky delivered another dialed-in performance that outclassed Frederik Andersen -- arguably the postseason's top goalie heading into Tuesday's game -- and backstopped the Panthers' to another victory.

Florida got contributions from everywhere, starting with their 5-on-5 play and carrying on to the second power-play unit (which scored after the Panthers had gone 15 minutes without a shot on goal in the third period). Despite that lull, it appears all systems are still go for Florida. -- Shilton

Players to watch in Game 2

Jalen Chatfield
D, Hurricanes

Chatfield was unable to go in Game 1, which meant the Hurricanes would be without one of their top-four defensemen who is averaging more than 20 minutes per game this postseason. That led to Scott Morrow making his playoff debut.

It proved to be a bit of a difficult outing for the 22-year-old, who spent the majority of this season playing for the Hurricanes' AHL affiliate. Morrow was on the ice for three of the Panthers' goals, while his delay-of-game penalty -- for playing the puck over the glass -- led to Sam Bennett's power-play goal that pushed the lead to 4-1 with 13:52 remaining.

Morrow would log a little more than 12 minutes in ice time in total, which was the least by a Hurricanes defenseman by more than four minutes. Chatfield's return ahead of Game 2 would bring one of their more venerable figures this season back into the mix. But if he misses Game 2? That would force Canes coach Rod Brind'Amour to examine his options. -- Clark

play

0:37

Panthers in complete control after Sam Bennett's power-play goal

Sam Bennett's power-play tally fuels the Panthers to a three-goal lead over the Hurricanes in Game 1.

Brad Marchand
LW, Panthers

There was one fight in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals and, surprising no one, it featured Brad Marchand. The Panthers' forward took issue with Carolina defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere appearing to shoot a puck at him, and dropped the gloves.

Marchand received a four-minute penalty and 10-minute misconduct for the interaction, which saw him herded out for the remainder of the third period. Marchand will be back and ready to rumble in Game 2. He was a noticeable presence in Game 1 action prior to the tilt with Gostisbehere, putting the screen on Andersen that set up Sam Bennett's power-play goal to essentially ice the Panthers' victory.

Will Marchand carry a sour taste into Game 2 after Gostisbehere didn't engage much after the apparent puck shot incident? If any player has made a career out of getting under an opponent's skin, it's Marchand. He's already setting a tone early for how the Panthers want to rattle their latest foe. -- Shilton

Big questions for Game 2

How do the Canes respond to their worst defeat in more than a month?

The last time the Canes lost by more than three goals was April 13, a 4-1 loss to the Maple Leafs. Since then? They've not had many defeats at all, and the two they had this postseason were close. The first was an overtime loss to the Devils in Game 3 -- a series that they would win in five games -- while their lone defeat to the Capitals was in Game 2 that only became a two-goal loss when Tom Wilson scored an empty-netter.

This postseason has seen the Hurricanes recover from defeats in which the margins were tight. How do they go about finding the cohesion that eluded them in what was a three-goal loss to open the conference finals? And will it be enough to even the series at 1-1 -- or will they head to South Florida in an 0-2 series hole? -- Clark

Are the Cats headed for a crash?

Florida is riding on some degree of adrenaline at this point after traveling from home to Toronto and directly to Raleigh after their Game 7 victory. While Florida didn't exactly look fatigued in Game 1 against Carolina, it's still fair to wonder if all those miles are going to catch up to the Panthers with another quick turnaround heading into Game 2.

The Hurricanes know what to expect now -- if they didn't before -- and will be ready to make adjustments. And if Carolina was perhaps too rested from having been off for several days prior to Florida rolling in, the Hurricanes have no excuse to not be better on home ice by the time Game 2 comes around.

Carolina showed early in the third period that they're a better team than the scoreboard's final tally. They've got their legs under them now. Whether that spells trouble for Florida? We find out on Thursday. -- Shilton