The reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers meet the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final for the second time in three seasons.

The conference final round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is now set after a Game 7 clash between the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night.

The Panthers have a quick turnaround this week, going from Game 7 of the conference semifinals against Toronto on Sunday to Game 1 of the conference final against Carolina on Tuesday.

They have been fully immersed in the Panther way for about 10 weeks now, receiving a crash course of how to play the team’s grind-it-out style that frustrates opponents before being fully thrust into Florida’s latest playoff run. “It’s a hell of a lot better to be on this side of it,” Jones said with a smile Sunday.

Mike DiStefano breaks down the Eastern Conference Finals between the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes.

The Florida Panthers are advancing to the Eastern Conference Final for the third consecutive season. The Panthers mauled the Maple Leafs, 6-1, in front of the Toronto faithful on Sunday night. The biggest thorn in Toronto's side in this one was Florida defenseman Seth Jones,

Florida Panthers center Eetu Luostarinen (27) and Toronto Maple Leafs center Calle Jarnkrok (19) go for the puck during the third period in Game 6 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) AP

Florida Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk admits he feels bad for the Toronto Maple Leafs after another early playoff exit.

The final four have been set and one of them will be lifting the Stanley Cup in a months time. Out east, the Carolina Hurricanes will have home-ice advantage over the Florida Panthers, while in the West,