Carter Verhaeghe and Aaron Ekblad scored two tone-setting first-period goals while Sergei Bobrovsky remained strong in net as the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 in Tuesday night’s opener of their Eastern Conference final series.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Scott Morrow made his Stanley Cup Playoff debut for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center on Tuesday. The 22-year-old rookie defenseman had been paired with Shayne Gostisbehere at the morning skate.

The Hurricanes arrive in the final four with some rest, as they have had a couple of quick series to get to this point. After eliminating the New Jersey Devils in five games in Round 1, Carolina beat up the Washington Capitals, the team that finished with the best record in the East during the regular season, in five games.