The Florida Panthers took a commanding lead in the Eastern Conference Finals with a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Despite the score, tensions escalated in the third period when Brad Marchand and Shayne Gostisbehere clashed after a puck shot, leading to Marchand's ejection for roughing. While the Panthers coach Paul Maurice chose not to comment on the incident, Gostisbehere did express his thoughts on the altercation, indicating the intensity of the matchup.

Sergei Bobrovsky stood out in goal, stopping 31 of 33 shots, although he was dealt a concerning hit to the head by Andrei Svechnikov. With Game 2 approaching, the Panthers look to maintain their momentum against a Hurricanes team eager to even the series.