NHL Morning Skate for May 18

* The puck drops for Game 1 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Final between the Hurricanes and Panthers tonight at 8 p.m. ET on TNT, Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports.

* The Panthers, who entered the postseason as the lowest-seeded team, aim to match the second-longest road win streak in Stanley Cup Playoffs history when they take on the NHL's second-best team from the regular season.

* The Hurricanes, who enter the penultimate round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with home-ice advantage for the third time, eye their first win in the Conference Finals since 2006 - a postseason that concluded with the franchise's first and only Stanley Cup.

PANTHERS-HURRICANES SHOWDOWN COMMENCES CONFERENCE FINALS

The Hurricanes, coming off their third consecutive division title, and the Panthers, who rebounded from a Second Round exit following their 2021-22 Presidents' Trophy-winning season, are ready to drop the puck for Game 1 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Final at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C.

* The Panthers enter the 2023 Eastern Conference Final with six consecutive road victories dating to Game 2 of the First Round and can become the eighth team in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to extend their road win streak to seven games - they would join the 2012 Kings (10 GP), 2022 Avalanche (7 GP), 2010 Blackhawks (7 GP), 1999 (Avalanche), 1995 Devils (7 GP), 1982 Islanders (7 GP) and 1980 Islanders (7 GP).

* Defenseman Brandon Montour has been an offensive force for the Panthers on the road, leading the club with five goals in seven games (5-0-5 in 7 GP) and trailing only Leon Draisaitl (9 in 6 GP) and Connor McDavid (7 in 6 GP) for the most among all players. After posting a career-high 73 points during the regular season, Montour sits one goal shy of tying the NHL record for most road goals by a blueliner in a single postseason (Brent Burns: 6 in 2016 w/ SJS & Brian Rafalski: 6 in 2001 w/ NJD).

* Matthew Tkachuk, who has accumulated 1-8-9 through Florida's streak, is leading the club in points this postseason (5-11-16 in 12 GP) after also doing so during the regular season (40-69-109 in 79 GP) - he is just two points shy of passing Dave Lowry (10-7-17 in 22 GP) for the most in a playoff year in Panthers history.

* The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs marks the third time the Hurricanes have entered the Conference Finals with home-ice advantage following 2002 (4-2 W vs. TOR) and 2006 (4-3 W vs. BUF). During their Stanley Cup-winning campaign in 2006, Cory Stillman (3-7-10 in 7 GP) found the score sheet in every contest and collected an assist on Rod Brind'Amour's lone career series-clinching goal for the franchise in Game 7. Stillman was the second player in NHL's expansion era (since 1967-68) to find the score sheet in every game of a Conference Finals/Semifinals that required seven games (also Doug Gilmour: 4-9-13 in 1993 CF w/ TOR).

* The Conference Finals will partially take place in Raleigh, N.C., a city that also hosted 56,961 fans to watch the Hurricanes defeat the Capitals at Carter-Finley Stadium for the 2023 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series. Carolina can become the fourth team in five seasons to advance to the Stanley Cup Final after appearing in an outdoor game earlier in the season (TBL in 2022, DAL in 2020 & BOS in 2019).

* Unlikely hero Jordan Martinook (3-7-10 in 11 GP) enters the Eastern Conference Final tied with Sebastian Aho (5-5-10 in 11 GP) for the most points among Hurricanes skaters this postseason and enters the penultimate round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs tied for the longest postseason assist streak in franchise history. Martinook's recent success comes on the heels of a stretch without a point during each of the team's six games in the First Round against the Islanders.

CONFERENCE FINALS TRENDS

* Teams that take a 1-0 lead in a best-of-seven series in the round before the Stanley Cup Final go on to win the series 68% of the time (110-53, .675 W%).

* At least one lower-seeded team has won Game 1 of the penultimate round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs seven times since the NHL realigned in 2014: NY Islanders (2021), Dallas (2020), Washington (2018), Ottawa (2017), Nashville (2017), Tampa Bay (2016) and NY Rangers (2014). The Stars, Capitals, Predators and Rangers were the only ones to advance to the Final.

* In every postseason since 2014, at least one series in the penultimate round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has required six or more games. Five years through that span have had both series require six-plus contests: 2021, 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2014.

* Carolina has won eight of its 21 all-time games in the Conference Finals and is looking for its first win in the round since Game 7 in 2006. Conversely, Florida has won four of seven such contests, all of which came during its 1996 series against Pittsburgh.

* Six players on Florida's active roster have experience in the final four of the Stanley Cup Playoffs (min. 1 GP in 2023 postseason): Marc Staal (19 GP w/ NYR), Eric Staal (11 GP w/ CAR & 6 GP w/ MTL), Brandon Montour (6 GP w/ ANA), Nick Cousins (3 GP w/ VGK), Carter Verhaeghe (2 GP w/ TBL) and Colin White (1 GP w/ OTT).

* Meanwhile, 13 different players on Carolina's active roster have done so, including five with a double-digit total: Derek Stepan (18 GP w/ NYR), Paul Stastny (6 GP w/ STL, 5 GP w/ WPG & 5 GP w/ VGK), Jordan Staal (9 GP w/ PIT & 4 GP w/ CAR), Brent Burns (12 GP w/ SJS) and Teuvo Teravainen (6 GP w/ CHI & 4 GP w/ CAR).

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS RESOURCES BY #NHLSTATS

* 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs Information Guide (updated through Second Round)
* #NHLStats Round Recaps: First Round | Second Round
* MATCHUPS: #NHLStats Matchup Notes for the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs
* #NHLStats: Water Cooler Questions Entering 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs
* CLINCHED: #NHLStats Packs for Teams in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs

QUICK CLICKS

* NHL announces multiyear partnership with ServiceNow
* Panthers, Heat supporting one another with Conference Finals on tap
* 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Hurricanes vs. Panthers Eastern Final preview
* Bobrovsky vs. Andersen goalie matchup in Eastern Conference Final
* Willie O'Ree receives honorary doctorate degree from University of New Brunswick