Panthers approaching road playoff record

Florida Panthers celebrate James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Road-tested Panthers approaching impressive playoff record

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 5/20/23

The Florida Panthers' run to the Eastern Conference Final has been remarkable in more ways than one. If they can notch another road victory over the Carolina Hurricanes Saturday in Game 2, they'll creep closer not only to playing for Lord Stanley's Cup, but also an impressive playoff record.

The Panthers have won seven straight games on the road during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, three away from equaling the 2012 Los Angeles Kings (10) for the longest road playoff winning streak in NHL history, per NHL Network.

Florida's last loss on the road came in Game 1 of the first round against the top-seeded Boston Bruins. Since then, the Panthers have rallied off seven in a row away from home – winning five games by only a goal, with four coming in overtime.

Florida kept its streak alive in dramatic fashion on Thursday, stunning the Hurricanes in four overtimes, 3-2, to take a 1-0 series lead in the conference final.

Matthew Tkachuk scored the winning goal with 12.7 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime to end the sixth-longest game in NHL history. #NHLStats #StanleyCup

Updated list at https://t.co/ud1m7AqeNC ➡️ https://t.co/xvZ6jmDTP3 pic.twitter.com/uuGNngS3oC
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) May 19, 2023

While the team still has much work to do to get past a tough Hurricanes' club, history is on the Panthers' side.

Out of the seven teams that have won seven or more road games in a row during a single postseason, only the 1999 Colorado Avalanche failed to hoist the Stanley Cup. Meanwhile, the Panthers' marathon victory in Game 1 over the Hurricanes is also a good omen, as the last nine teams to lose a playoff game of four OTs or more have tended to fare poorly over the rest of the series.

More must-reads: