This Florida Panthers team that won the Stanley Cup last season — it’s better now.

the Florida Panthers waltzed into the Triangle on Tuesday and defeated their longtime foe the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 at Lenovo Center.

They are battle tested. Since the beginning of the 2023 playoffs, they have played 58 postseason games, 10 more than the next closest team, the Edmonton Oilers.

There was one fight in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals and, surprising no one, it featured Brad Marchand. The Panthers' forward took issue with Carolina defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere appearing to shoot a puck at him, and dropped the gloves.

The point remains the same: we tend to know what we’re getting from Rod Brind’Amour’s Carolina Hurricanes.

The five goals were the most he's allowed this postseason, but he still sports a 1.74 GAA and .919 save percentage through 10 starts.