ECF: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Florida Panthers

[Bill_Berg_is_pissed_off]

At least we weren't swept!

[L K]

Panthers get a power play with a minute left in the 3rd and score with less than 10 seconds to sweep Carolina

Florida was tackling people all over the place in the third.   Refereeing  in the NHL is truly awful

[Nik]

Sebastian Aho doesn't have the heart of a champion.

[Peter D.]

Sergei Bobrovsky vs. Adin Hill is certainly the Cup final goalie duel we all predicted would happen.

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

Panthers get a power play with a minute left in the 3rd and score with less than 10 seconds to sweep Carolina

Florida was tackling people all over the place in the third.   Refereeing  in the NHL is truly awful

I drop out after the Leafs do but this is what they need to start doing, like crazy, in the playoffs.  Dare the refs to call it all.

[Bender]

Wild that the Panthers were able to sweep. I expected a tight series but it really is crazy how every tight game has gone Florida's way. I really have no idea how the finals gonna play out, but one of two different expansion teams are going to win. Le sigh.

On a separate note, I can't seem to find a clip of Jordan Staals trip... Was it call worthy?

[Arn]

Wild that the Panthers were able to sweep. I expected a tight series but it really is crazy how every tight game has gone Florida's way. I really have no idea how the finals gonna play out, but one of two different expansion teams are going to win. Le sigh.

On a separate note, I can't seem to find a clip of Jordan Staals trip... Was it call worthy?

If it was the one directly before the third Panthers goal just on the blueline, then yes, it was blatant.

[Arn]

I guess Carolina need to sack their GM and trade their core players now.

[Frank E]

I guess Carolina need to sack their GM and trade their core players now.

Interestingly, the whole forward group (save Kotkaniemi) are on expiring deals this coming season.

https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/hurricanes

[Bender]

I guess Carolina need to sack their GM and trade their core players now.

I mean Svech and Patches were injured... they at least looked dominant in their first two series. This is a team one could make a better case for running it back imo.

[Significantly Insignificant]

I guess Carolina need to sack their GM and trade their core players now.

Interestingly, the whole forward group (save Kotkaniemi) are on expiring deals this coming season.

https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/hurricanes

Svechnikov too.

[herman]

https://twitter.com/minormidgetgthl/status/1661569262350213124
Every series is a bit different and hockey is very probabilistic, but after three straight instances of the exact same thing happening... I think this guy has a fair point. The teams that beat us get warmed up against us, still have the legs, rhythm, and confidence to go on to the Finals. So where I would once take solace in losing to a great team...

[L K]

https://twitter.com/minormidgetgthl/status/1661569262350213124
Every series is a bit different and hockey is very probabilistic, but after three straight instances of the exact same thing happening... I think this guy has a fair point. The teams that beat us get warmed up against us, still have the legs, rhythm, and confidence to go on to the Finals. So where I would once take solace in losing to a great team...

I mean my counter to this would be:

Leafs lose to Montreal - win two more series after this to get to the Cup finals
Leafs lose to Tampa - win two more series after this to get to the Cup finals
Leafs lose to Florida - win next series to get to the Cup finals

So while the Leafs aren't punishing teams they are also losing to teams that continue to advance deep beyond the Leafs series.

[Frank E]

I guess Carolina need to sack their GM and trade their core players now.

Interestingly, the whole forward group (save Kotkaniemi) are on expiring deals this coming season.

https://www.capfriendly.com/teams/hurricanes

Svechnikov too.

Good catch...missed that. 

[herman]

Leafs lose to Montreal - win two more series after this to get to the Cup finals
Leafs lose to Tampa - win two more series after this to get to the Cup finals
Leafs lose to Florida - win next series to get to the Cup finals

So while the Leafs aren't punishing teams they are also losing to teams that continue to advance deep beyond the Leafs series.

That's the thing though: because the Leafs series was not physically punishing enough, they had the advantage in their next round; a sweep against a beat up opponent gives them rest advantage for the following series as well. The playoff drive is a grind, and our opponents seem to have more stamina left the rest of the way.

The playbook is pretty well written against the Playoff Leafs: isolate Marner* so he has no time to make plays, just take rush chances against Tavares, whatever their bottom 6, and turtle in the DZ because they're just looking for seam plays. Very little of that takes much of a physical toll.

* easy nerf Matthews since they're forever-paired and the only adjustment Keefe will make is to nerf the offensive depth elsewhere.