SUNRISE, FL — Strap in, hockey fans! The Florida Panthers are one win away from punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year—and they did it in absolutely dominant fashion Saturday night.
With five third-period goals in just over 10 minutes, the Panthers steamrolled the Carolina Hurricanes 6-2 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Florida now holds a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-7 series and will have a chance to complete the sweep Monday night at home.
“You don’t start thinking about sweeps in this room,” said Brad Marchand, who capped the offensive outburst with the sixth goal. “We’re locked in—one shift at a time.”
Third Period Onslaught: Panthers Hit Another Gear
Tied 1-1 after two, the third period was all Panthers. Jesper Boqvist got the party started with a slick breakaway finish, followed by Niko Mikkola’s second goal of the night, and back-to-back tallies from captain Aleksander Barkov that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Then, just to rub it in, Marchand added the exclamation point on a 2-on-1. Six goals. Third straight blowout. And a team playing with the swagger of a defending champ.
“We’re deep, we’re dialed in, and we’re having fun,” said Barkov, who’s now got three goals in the series.
Bobrovsky Stays Locked In
Sergei Bobrovsky was cool as ever between the pipes, stopping 23 of 25 shots and keeping the Hurricanes frustrated. He’s now allowed just four goals in three games this series.
“Everyone’s doing their job,” Bobrovsky said. “We’re just playing for each other.”
Boqvist and Depth Players Step Up
With Sam Reinhart out and Eetu Luostarinen ejected after a boarding major, Florida’s depth shined. Boqvist, subbing into the lineup, netted a crucial go-ahead goal and added two assists. Evan Rodrigues and Tomas Nosek also logged key minutes.
“That’s playoff hockey,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “Next man up. And everyone delivered.”
Hurricanes Collapse in Crunch Time… Again
Carolina’s playoff woes in the Conference Final continue—15 straight losses in the third round dating back multiple appearances. Saturday’s game unraveled fast after a strong second period. Turnovers killed them, and Florida made them pay in waves.
“Turnover city,” said Canes captain Jordan Staal. “You can’t survive that against a team like this.”
What’s Next?
📍 Game 4
🗓️ Monday, May 27
🕗 8:00 PM ET
📺 MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, CBC
Bet on it: Florida is red-hot and 60 minutes from another Cup Final. Carolina’s got pride to play for, but Florida has the ice tilted in their favour.
