RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Florida Panthers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight season with a 5-3 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final at Lenovo Center on Wednesday.

Carter Verhaeghe gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead at 12:21 of the third period. Aleksander Barkov made a backhand pass across the crease to Verhaeghe, who scored at the right post. Barkov circled the net and held off Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov before making the pass.

Sam Bennett scored his NHL-leading 10th playoff goal into an empty net with 54 seconds remaining for the 5-3 final.

The defending Stanley Cup champions, who defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven games last season, will play either the Oilers or the Dallas Stars. Edmonton leads that best-of-7 series 3

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