:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72276681/1254312509.0.jpg "2023 NHL playoff bracket: Who will Panthers face in the Eastern Conference Final?")
The Florida Panthers were able to eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs in their second-round series with a 3-2 overtime win in Game 5 to emerge victorious in the series, 4-1.
This is the Panthers' first Eastern Conference Final since 1996 when they advanced to the Stanley Cup Final and lost to the Detroit Red Wings.
Here's who the Florida Panthers will play next, with the winner advancing to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.
Who will Panthers play in Eastern Conference Final?
The Panthers will face the Carolina Hurricane in the Eastern Conference Final. The Carolina Hurricanes knocked off the New Jersey Devils in their second-round series with a 3-2 win in Game 5 to win the series 4-1. The Hurricanes are back in the Eastern Conference Final for the first time since 2019 and the second time since that season. The Hurricanes beat both Metro Division opponents, the Devils and New York Islanders, to reach the conference final.