NHL Playoffs 2023: Top Storylines, Schedule for Panthers vs. Hurricanes Game 1

The Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers reached the Eastern Conference Final because of their defensive play.

Carolina allowed two or fewer goals in seven of its eight playoff victories, while Florida is coming off a second-round series in which it held the Toronto Maple Leafs to two goals or fewer in four wins.

Thursday's Game 1 (8 p.m. ET, TNT) should feature more of the same defensive qualities from both sides as they attempt to feel their way through the matchup.

Both sides are also coming off extended layoffs, which can either help with the freshness of the players or be a detriment because they are out of rhythm.

Carolina appears to have the edge Thursday night because it is 4-1 on home ice this postseason.

The Hurricanes defense has been especially tough inside PNC Arena, and that could cause Florida to struggle to create a ton of pressure on net.

Defense Will Dictate Game 1

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TORONTO, ON- MAY 12 - Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) watches a shot go wide in the first period as the Toronto Maple Leafs play the Florida Panthers in game five in the second round of the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. May 12, 2023. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Carolina and Florida possess two in-form defenses and a pair of impeccable goalies.

The Hurricanes conceded the fewest goals of any team that played two rounds in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Florida only let up 10 goals against an explosive Maple Leafs offense because of Sergei Bobrovsky's play in goal. He turned away 303 shots this postseason, which is the second-highest total of remaining goalies behind Dallas' Jake Oettinger.

The two-time Vezina Trophy winner could be Florida's difference-maker in its attempt to take home-ice advantage from the Hurricanes.

Carolina's Frederik Andersen could match Bobrovsky's save output and make Game 1 a contest in which one or two goals wins it.

Andersen produced a .918 save percentage in the second-round series win over the New Jersey Devils. Carolina held the Devils to 26.4 shots per game.

A high-scoring game could break out at some point in the series, but that probably will happen later, once both teams break down the tendencies of their opponents in detail.

Sebastian Aho, Matthew Tkachuk Need to Make Bigger Scoring Impact

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NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - MAY 09: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates during the second period against the New Jersey Devils in Game Four of the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Prudential Center on May 09, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images)

Sebastian Aho and Matthew Tkachuk had 76 regular-season goals between them and just a single tally in the second round.

Aho scored once in Game 3 against the Devils in one of his five attempts on goal in the series.

Tkachuk had 13 shots on goal against the Leafs, including six in the Game 5 overtime win, but he failed to strike the back of the net.

Carolina and Florida need more out of Aho and Tkachuk, respectively, to find an edge in the series.

The offensive production was there from both players in the first round. Aho scored in four of the six games against the New York Islanders and Tkachuk had five tallies versus the Boston Bruins.

Each player needs to find what worked so well in the opening round and translate that to the Eastern Conference Final.

Whichever player ends their dry run in the attacking zone sooner could shift the momentum in their team's favor in a series where one or two goals could make the difference in a single game.