For the second time this postseason, the Florida Panthers have opened a series with a pair of road wins.

After skating to an impressive victory in Game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida jumped out to a big first period lead on Thursday night and never looked back, defeating Carolina 5-0 in Game 2 at Lenovo Center.

It didn’t take long for the Panthers to pick right back up where they left off.

The play started when Matthew Tkachuk recognized Carolina trying to break out of their own end so he jumped up to intercept an exit pass.

The puck went directly to Gus Forsling, who cut into the middle of the ice and beat Frederik Anderson over the glove to put Florida ahead 1-0 just 77 seconds into the game.

Both teams did well to limit the others’ opportunities, as there was a total of just four shots through the game’s first ten minutes.

Florida’s third shot would lead to their second goal.

After Sam Bennett forced a turnover in Carolina’s end with a hard check in the corner on an Andrei Svechnikov, Niko Mikkola pinched in and sent the puck behind the net to a waiting Carter Verhaeghe.

With Tkachuk in front of the net, Verhaeghe went to the near post, looking like he was going to attempt a wraparound shot. Instead, he slid the puck across the crease where a cutting Tkachuk got his stick on the puck and directed it past Anderson to double Florida’s lead at the 11:41 mark.

The game’s first power play came after an undisciplined roughing penalty taken by Svechnikov after he punched Tkachuk in the back of the head, and the Panthers would make them pay.

Verhaeghe picked up the puck after a shot attempt was blocked and found some space before firing a shot toward the net that was deflected by Sam Bennett past Anderson, and just like that it was 3-0 Florida with 4:10 left in the first period.

It wasn’t all good for Florida though, as during the power play, Sam Reinhart suffered a lower-body injury after taking a hit from Sebastian Aho and was ruled out for the rest of the game.

The second period wasn’t much better for Carolina.

After being held to only three shots after the opening 20 minutes, the Hurricanes were only able to muster four more during the middle frame, and Sergei Bobrovsky stopped them all.

Florida, meanwhile, added a fourth goal late in the period.

Sam Bennett slammed home a rebound after a wraparound attempt by Verhaeghe to send the Cats into the intermission with a healthy four-goal lead.

Panthers Captain Sasha Barkov got in on the fun during the third period, scoring a power play goal on a nifty deflection of a shot by Aaron Ekblad.

Bobrovsky finished with 17 saves while logging his third shutout of the postseason. 

The Panthers now head back to Sunrise with a commanding 2-0 series lead. If they can avoid losing four of the next five, they’ll be in the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight season.

On to Game 3.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Forsling became the 18th different Panthers player to score a goal during this postseason.

He has points in consecutive games for the first time during the playoffs.

Tkachuk has logged assists in back-to-back games and is up to seven over his past 10 outings.

His goal was his first since Game 3 against Tampa Bay.

Verhaeghe has five points in the two games against Carolina.

Bennett has scored goals in back-to-back games four different times this postseason.

He has nine goals and 13 points in 14 playoff games.

Since returning from injury for Game 7 against Toronto, Evan Rodrigues has logged four assists in three outings.

Aaron Ekblad has quietly put up nine points through 10 playoff games after logging a pair of helpers in Game 2.

Evan Rodrigues also had two assists, and he’s got five points in the three games he’s played since returning from injury.

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Photo caption: May 22, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers celebrate forward Sam Bennett (9) goal id2p- against the Carolina Hurricanes in game two of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

The Pittsburgh Penguins just wrapped up their 57th season, missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season. Despite their recent lack of success, the franchise has appeared in the playoffs 37 times and won five championships.

Our newest series will reflect on how the Penguins performed on specific days leading up to the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.

Today, May 22, Pittsburgh has compiled a 1-4 record in five games on this date.

• 1995 - Game 2 Loss vs. New Jersey Devils (4-2)
• 2001 - Game 5 Loss vs. New Jersey Devils (4-2)
• 2013 - Game 4 Win vs. Ottawa Senators (7-3)
• 2016 - Game 5 Loss vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (4-3 OT)
• 2021 - Game 4 Loss vs. New York Islanders (4-1)

Notable Penguins Performances On This Day

May 22, 1995 - Despite Jaromir Jagr's two goals and Larry Murphy's two assists, the Penguins drop Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Semi-Finals matchup with the Devils by a 4-2 score. 

Penguins Should Let Dewar And Timmins Walk In Restricted Free AgencyJust prior to the Mar. 7 NHL trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Penguins completed a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, sending a 2025 fifth-round pick to acquire forward Connor Dewar and defenseman Conor Timmins.

May 22, 2001 - Kris Letang sets a career high in a playoff game with four points (all assists) in a 7-3 win over the Senators in Game 4. Meanwhile, James Neal had two goals and an assist for three points, the second time in his career he'd record that many points in a playoff game. Moreover, Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis each had a goal and an assist, while Jarome Iginla had two goals, the second-to-last multi-point playoff game of his Hall of Fame career. 

May 22, 2016 - Chris Kunitz (goal and assist) and Olli Määttä (two assists) combine for four points, but Pittsburgh falls to Tampa Bay 4-3 in overtime thanks to a Tyler Johnson goal just 53 seconds into the extra period. 

Beckett Sennecke was selected third overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Even in a draft without much of a consensus ranking after the top prospect (Macklin Celebrini), Sennecke’s selection at third was still seen as a surprise to some.

After suffering a foot fracture during offseason training that kept him from rookie camp and most of training camp, Sennecke was returned to the Oshawa Generals of the OHL for the duration of the 2024-25 season.

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He was one of the most dominant players in the CHL in the season following his draft, displaying the high level of skill Anaheim saw in the 6-foot-4 winger and potentially forcing Team Canada to regret not selecting him for their 2025 World Junior Championship team.

Sennecke scored 86 points (36-50=86) in 56 regular season games for Oshawa, ranking 13th among OHL players in points per game. He improved upon that production rate in the Generals’ run to the OHL Championship series, where he tallied 32 points (14-18=32) in just 18 games.

In an interview with The Hockey News, Ducks’ director of amateur scouting and assistant general manager Martin Madden offered his thoughts on Sennecke’s 2024-25 campaign.

“Really well. I think we're all very pleased with his development. He had to deal with a lot from the start, from the draft on,” Madden said. “So, lots of different ways that he had to adapt and become aware of his own reactions and his own emotions related to everything. Off-ice reactions, on-ice.

“How do you deal with the spotlight? How do you deal with (being left off the World Juniors squad)? How do you rebound after that? How do you lead your team in the playoffs? How do you come back from injury? He grew as a person, he grew as a prospect. He had a terrific season.”

Having grown six inches in 18 months after joining the Generals as a 16-year-old, Sennecke was still growing into his body when he was drafted in June 2024 and was seen as a rawer prospect than is typically selected at third overall.

A year later, his skill level has surpassed that of the CHL. The CHL will also become less competitive moving forward as a result of an agreement struck between the CHL and the NCAA, which will allow CHL players to transition to American college hockey.

This could leave Sennecke in a bit of a “no-man’s land” situation if he isn’t deemed NHL-ready by the Ducks’ front office, as he is likely too advanced for the CHL and is ineligible for the AHL, as he won’t turn 20 until Jan. 2026.

Madden offered his thoughts regarding how near-ready Sennecke is for a role as a full-time NHL player.

“He's close. He's one really good summer away from being able to compete physically with NHL players, in my mind,” Madden said. “There's no doubt he's got the talent to make the jump. Now, he just needs to seize the opportunity, and that comes with pressure. Let’s see what the team looks like in September, October, and where he fits at that point. It's his to take, I think.”

Sennecke will almost certainly start the 2025-26 season in the NHL with the Ducks. What follows remains a bit uncertain, as general manager Pat Verbeek and Ducks’ ownership have been very public on their intentions to make the 2026 playoffs. Inserting a potentially volatile rookie into a substantial role at the highest level of the sport may lend itself to costly errors, jeopardizing that mandate.

What are the potential blueprints for Senencke’s 2025-26 season?

Full Season in the NHL

The most beneficial option for the Ducks and Sennecke in terms of both short and long-term development is for Sennecke to arrive at the Ducks' rookie and training camps in Sept, undeniably ready for the NHL from both a physical and mental standpoint.

He exhibited a level of determination and perseverance following his snub from the World Juniors, but was also suspended multiple times in 2024-25, potentially highlighting concerns with discipline.

If deemed ready and with his talent level, Sennecke could be the key to unlocking the depth and potency of the Ducks' depth chart from an offensive standpoint, an area they’ve struggled and have needed improvement since they were perennial playoff contenders.

In the last ten years, only one player selected third overall hadn’t made the jump to full-time NHL player two years following their draft season: Dylan Strome (2015).

Cup of Coffee

According to the CBA and the agreement between the NHL and CHL, players signed to entry-level contracts can play up to nine NHL games before a year is spent off their contract. Once a player is sent back to the CHL, they are ineligible to return to their NHL club.

On several occasions each season, NHL teams will exercise this option to attain a better handle on where an individual prospect is on their developmental timeline.

It can be assumed that Sennecke will be afforded nine games at the start of the season to make a positive impact on the Ducks' lineup. In all likelihood, he would have to severely disappoint during such a stint to cause the Ducks’ front office to send him back to the CHL.

The Shane Wright Plan

The Seattle Kraken selected Shane Wright with the fourth-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. He was perhaps the most NHL-ready prospect to come out of that draft, but Seattle didn’t feel he was ready for a full 82-game schedule at the highest level. Instead, they opted for a unique approach to the season following his selection.

In 2022-23, he played a total of eight games at the NHL level and another five in the AHL, on a conditioning stint, before he was sent to join Team Canada for their camp leading up to the World Junior Championship.

Following World Juniors, Wright was sent back to the CHL to join his Windsor Spitfires team for the remainder of their campaign. After 20 regular season games and four playoff games in the OHL, Wright returned to the AHL for the Coachella Firebirds' three remaining regular season games and suited up for 24 AHL playoff games during Coachella’s run to game seven of the Calder Cup Final.

This blueprint is viable if an NHL club isn’t willing to start the clock on a prospect’s contract, but values the experience gained from participating in day-to-day activities within the organization and adapting to the lifestyle of professional hockey players.

The Leo Carlsson Plan

Heading into the 2023-24 season, the first NHL season of Leo Carlsson’s career, Verbeek and the Ducks development team implemented a unique strategy to get the most out of Carlsson’s first season in North America while ensuring he didn’t hit a wall late in the season, not uncommon for NHL rookies.

Following an exhausting 2023 offseason that included SHL playoffs, World Championships, the NHL Draft Combine, the NHL Draft, Anaheim Ducks development camp, rookie camp, and training camp, it was clear to Verbeek that though Carlsson would benefit from spending the season in Anaheim, an 82-game schedule would prove too greuling for the talented youngster.

For the first half of the season, Carlsson was scheduled to play two games per week, mirroring a typical college or SHL schedule. This would allow him to spend his off days in the gym, building the needed strength to compete at the NHL level. He was to spend the second half of the season playing every game.

Ultimately, Carlsson sustained a few lengthy injuries, rendering the experiment fruitless, but Verbeek remained confident in the strategy and has stated he wouldn’t hesitate to use it again should a similar situation arise with a young player.

Much of Sennecke’s rookie season will be dictated by Sennecke. How he arrives at camp and how he performs will eventually force management’s hand one way or another.

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Brad Treliving will reportedly remain on as Toronto Maple Leafs GM after MLSE announced on Thursday afternoon that they weren't renewing the contract of president and alternate governor Brendan Shanahan.

The 55-year-old just finished his second season with the club, after entering the organization on May 31, 2023. At the helm of Toronto's hockey club, Treliving has one playoff series win, which came this year when the Maple Leafs eliminated the Ottawa Senators in six games.

Toronto faced the defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers in the second round and fell 6-1 in Game 7, ending their season. With how they exited the playoffs, losing Games 5 and 7 by the same score, questions loomed about who would be getting the blame.

However, according to several reports, including from TSN's Chris Johnston and Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Treliving won't be one of the management pieces getting axed.

"I greatly enjoyed working with Brad and Craig (Berube)," said Shanahan in a statement on Thursday afternoon, "and I firmly believe they are excellent in their roles and have done a great job in their time with the team."

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Treliving made significant moves going back to last summer when he signed former Panthers Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Anthony Stolarz. He also brought in Steven Lorentz and Max Pacioretty on professional tryouts before inking them to one-year contracts.

After Timothy Liljegren struggled early to keep his spot in the lineup in October, Treliving sent him to the San Jose Sharks for Matt Benning, a 2025 third-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick.

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The Toronto GM also added Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers and Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins at the NHL trade deadline. To acquire those players, Treliving parted ways with prospects Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin, plus two conditional first-round picks (2026 and 2027) and a 2025 fourth-round pick.

What he wasn't able to do, though, was re-sign Toronto, Ontario native Mitch Marner to a new contract. Treliving had all of last summer and this season to negotiate, but the forward could test the open market on July 1.

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John Tavares' contract also expires on July 1. However, he said during the Maple Leafs' locker cleanout day that, after positive conversations with Treliving and Berube, he's confident about getting a deal done before NHL free agency opens.

It remains unknown if any other changes will come in the aftermath of Shanahan's dismissal. We'll likely know more following MLSE CEO Keith Pelley's press conference on Friday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. ET.

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Haydn Fleury mentioned during his end-of-season press conference that he'd like to remain a Winnipeg Jet despite the log jam of defensemen the Jets currently employ.

The Jets went into the playoffs with nine defensemen on their roster, dressing eight at some point during their two series. The only defenseman not to dress for a game was 24-year-old Ville Heinola. Fleury played in eight playoff games, recording two assists while averaging 15:16 of ice time, gaining the trust and increasing his role as the playoffs went on.

During the regular season, the 28-year-old played in just 39 games, registering seven assists and averaging 15:56 of ice time. He dealt with a long-term lower-body injury in the midst of the season, but when he returned, he served as a healthy scratch behind Luke Schenn and Logan Stanley. 

Of the nine defensemen the Jets brought to the playoffs, Fleury is one of the two defensemen in need of a contract and the only defenseman who is an unrestricted free agent. Dylan Samberg is the restricted free agent the Jets will need to come to a deal with. 

To create space on the backend, the easiest thing for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to do would be to let Fleury walk, but the following season will require him to work out contracts with UFAs Schenn, Stanley and Colin Miller, as well as RFA Ville Heinola, running the risk of losing multiple contributing defensemen. Re-signing Fleury would provide insurance, especially with a defenseman who wants to remain in Winnipeg. 

"Being able to play in a city where hockey matters for me is huge," said the 6'4 defender. "And just to be able to show my kids how much a sport can do for a community is something that I'm really proud that I got a show my son this year."

The Jets need upgrades offensively, with glaring needs for a second-line center and more depth scoring in their bottom six. Allocating 30% of their salary cap towards defensemen makes achieving that very difficult, adding more to the plate of Cheveldayoff, who needs to find a way to add offence without sacrificing defence. 

Fleury's speed and puck-moving ability proved to be a valuable asset in the playoffs and a trait they may be inclined to keep instead of Stanley's size. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Jets stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs and Brendan Shanahan are parting ways.

The club announced Thursday afternoon that Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the company that owns the franchise, would not be renewing the contract of the team's president and alternate governor when his contract expires on June 30.

In a statement, MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley praised Shanahan's contributions in the 11 years he served in his role, but added his reason to make the change.

 "It was determined that a new voice was required to take the team to the next level in the years ahead. The franchise will be forever grateful for Brendan’s contributions and wish him and his family every success and happiness in the future."

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Pelley will address the media at Scotiabank Arena at 1 p.m. ET on Friday, May 22.

The news comes just days after the Maple Leafs were eliminated in the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs in seven games at the hands of the Florida Panthers. It had been widely reported that Shanahan was granted permission to speak with the New York Islanders about their executive openings. Permission to speak to an executive for similar positions with other franchises is usually not granted, prompting further proof that Shanahan's time in Toronto was coming to an end.

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While Shanahan was praised for some positive changes from the beginning of his tenure in 2014,the Leafs were unable to get past the second round during his tenure.

In a statement, Shanahan praised the organization while suggesting that Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving will remain in his role.

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"I greatly enjoyed working with Brad and Craig (Berube), and I firmly believe they are excellent in their roles and have done a great job in their time with the team," Shanhan said. "Also, I want to thank the players, they are committed and passionate about delivering a championship to this city and will do everything within their power to accomplish that goal. I wish them all the very best."

Shanahan inherited a franchise that consistently failed to make the playoffs (except in 2013 when they broke through in a 48-game season before falling to the Boston Bruins in the first round). He restored the franchise back to respectability among a fanbase by restoring relations with Leafs alumni  changing previously honored numbers into retired numbers. Shanahan also added Legend Row outside of Gate 6 at Scotiabank Arena. He also changed the logo to the one it uses today ahead of the 2016-17 season, signaling a new era around a team built around it's youthful core players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander.

'I Haven't Processed Anything Yet': Does Mitch Marner Want To Return To The Maple Leafs Next Season?As soon as the final horn sounded after the Toronto Maple Leafs' 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of their second-round series, Mitch Marner was the very last player to leave the ice. He looked like a player who may have played his last game with the club.

Despite holding the longest active playoff streak at nine years, the Leafs consistently lacked success in the postseason under his leadership, winning just two playoff rounds.

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