After back-to-back overtime victories, the Florida Panthers are two wins away from competing for the Stanley Cup. Easier said than done, of course, with the Carolina Hurricanes staring back in a tightly contested Eastern Conference showdown. Games 3 and 4 go Monday and Wednesday in Sunrise. Here are three questions the Panthers must answer to secure a Cup Final spot.

Can Bobrovsky hold off Carolina's charge?

The Panthers and Hurricanes played all 201:38 of the first two games - the equivalent of 10 full periods, thanks to overtime - with the score tied or with one team leading by a single goal. Despite what the win-loss counter might suggest, neither club has felt entirely comfortable or been in complete control.

This is both good and bad for Carolina, who can't afford to fall behind 3-0.

It's good because the Hurricanes are generating enough offense to win, with 23 quality scoring chances per game to the Panthers' 17, per Sportlogiq. It's also good because Rod Brind'Amour's squad is process-driven and rarely takes its foot off the gas - especially after losses, as evidenced by the 12-1 shot advantage to kickstart Game 2.

"I thought we had the better of it. We just haven't found a way to score," Brind'Amour said after Saturday's 2-1 loss in front of a raucous home crowd.

It's a virtual guarantee the Hurricanes, arguably the NHL's most predictable team in terms of playing style and effort level, will continue to push hard.

On the flip side, the tightness of this series is bad for Carolina because, well, the opposing goalie is on a heater and, now armed with a 2-0 series lead, has a wider margin of error. Among the 10 goalies who've logged 400 playoff minutes, Sergei Bobrovsky is first in goals saved above expected (7.53, according to Sportlogiq) and tied for second in save percentage (.931). In this series alone, he's rocking an incredible 5.56 goals saved above expected rate.

It's also bad because Andrei Svechnikov and Max Pacioretty, the Hurricanes' purest finishers, are unavailable due to injury. After capitalizing on their opportunities just fine in Rounds 1 and 2, Carolina's hit a wall, producing only one five-on-five goal against Florida. Sophomore Seth Jarvis, who scored on the power play in Game 1, seems particularly snakebitten at even strength.

This series has yet to feature a "greasy" goal, which is surprising and probably not a sustainable trend given both teams' preference for dump-ins and heavy forechecking. During chaotic moments of blanketing screens, jam attempts, and strange bounces, all three goalies have been perfect - so far, anyway. Dialing up the greasiness would be the most feasible way to cool Bobrovsky's heater.

Can Barkov continue to outduel Staal?

It's undeniable: The Panthers' top skaters have outperformed the Hurricanes' top skaters in head-to-head battles through two games.

The first layer: Florida captain Aleksander Barkov outdueling Carolina captain Jordan Staal. Barkov and linemates Carter Verhaeghe and Anthony Duclair hold a 2-0 edge in 39 minutes thanks to two snipes from Barkov, who on Saturday displayed his world-class poise and reach with a gorgeous net drive.

Staal was also an offensive catalyst in Game 2. He and linemates Martin Necas and Teuvo Teravainen created a handful of point-blank looks in Florida's zone, but they had nothing to show for them. Staal hasn't been the issue - Necas doesn't look his dynamic self, while Teravainen is rusty and/or still hurt after getting injured in Round 1.

Will Panthers coach Paul Maurice let the Barkov-Staal matchup cook in Games 3 and 4 - even though he could get Barkov away from Staal with the home-team benefit of last change? Letting it cook is certainly worth a try.

The gamesmanship from Maurice might actually appear in the second layer. The Nick Cousins-Sam Bennett-Matthew Tkachuk line has fared well overall (14-9 in high-danger attempts, 1-0 in goals) while mostly facing Carolina's best blue-liners, Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns. Yet the agitating trio can really feast on the third pairing of Shayne Gostisbehere and Jalen Chatfield.

On top of potting both overtime goals and making a clutch defensive play on a Hurricanes counter midway through the third period in Game 2, Tkachuk's been his usual pesky self. He's accidentally-on-purpose collided with the goalie multiple times, partaken in post-whistle scrums, and yapped many ears off. Tkachuk is deploying every trick in his bag, and damn, he's getting results.

Consider this, too: Florida has scored within five seconds of a five-on-five turnover a whopping 10 times in 14 playoff games. No. 10 was Tkachuk's Game 1 winner, and while Barkov's Game 2 tally missed the five-second cutoff, it too was scored after a five-on-five turnover (roughly 10 seconds).

It almost goes without saying, but Carolina must manage the puck properly.

Can everybody stay out of penalty box?

History is on Florida's side here. The team with a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series in the round before the Cup Final has gone on to win 91% of the time.

If Carolina is able to mount a comeback, one or both of Frederik Andersen (who started Game 1 and will likely start Game 3) and Antti Raanta (Game 2 starter) will need to be steady. They've done their part so far, and the Hurricanes' system is friendly enough to goalies that it's not a huge series-tilting factor.

What might tilt the series is the Panthers' discipline level.

Florida led the league in minor penalties during the regular season. They co-led the league again during the first round. They smartened up (and received some help from the officials) during the second round. Against Carolina, the Panthers' discipline has been … somewhere in the middle of the extremes.

The Hurricanes capitalized on two of six power-play opportunities in Game 1, then went zero-for-three in Game 2. Bennett has been the No. 1 culprit. He was penalized three times - for delay of game (puck over glass) and boarding in the opener and for holding in the second game.

This isn't a sky-is-falling scenario for the Panthers or Bennett. They can rein it in. If they don't, the Hurricanes, starved for five-on-five goals, could make it a competitive series by making hay on the power play.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

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Detroit Red Wings forward Joe Veleno found himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons after he appeared to stomp on Winnipeg Jets winger Nino Niederreiter with his skate at the 2023 IIHF World Championship on Saturday.

The incident occurred in the second period of the preliminary-round contest between Canada and Switzerland. Veleno wasn't penalized on the play, but Niederreiter was dinged for roughing after retaliating against the Canadian center.

Niederreiter sounded off on the controversial moment following Switzerland's 3-2 victory.

"It does not belong (in) our sport. You can't do it. It's too dangerous; blades are extremely sharp," he said, per reporter Tomas Prokop. "He (tried) to go in the battle to hurt me and (was) almost going to break my ankle.

"I'm very curious what (the) IIHF (will) do about it. I hope they do (a) better job."

Veleno's actions also drew the ire of Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane, who called the incident "disgusting." Kane missed 31 games this season after his wrist was cut by a skate in early November.

It's unclear yet whether Veleno will face supplemental discipline from the IIHF.

Switzerland stayed perfect at the tournament with the victory and handed Canada its first loss.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing a period of uncertainty after parting ways with general manager Kyle Dubas, ending a five-year saga that featured a plethora of regular-season success but just one playoff series win.

After Friday’s headline-grabbing breakup between Dubas and Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, it's only natural to perform an autopsy on the executive's tenure in Toronto.

Here are the seven main things that defined Dubas' time at the helm of the Maple Leafs.

Unwavering loyalty to the Core 4

This is what Dubas' tenure as Leafs GM will be most remembered for: He lived and died by the team's core.

Dubas inherited William Nylander, Mitch Marner, and Auston Matthews, who were all drafted before he became GM in May 2018. But it was Dubas who signed John Tavares to a seven-year, $77-million contract as his first major move in July 2018.

People fairly questioned how the Tavares signing would impact negotiations for Dubas' upcoming restricted free agents. How could he get them all signed and have enough leftover money to build a strong supporting cast? But Dubas was adamant to make it work. Remember the "we can and we will" line?

The idea of getting them signed for as long as possible was sensible. The longer the contract, the better it ages over time as the salary cap (presumably) rises, even if it means overpaying in the short term.

Then came the pandemic and the flat cap, which made life difficult for all NHL teams. But the Leafs were among the hardest hit since Dubas had recently locked up the entire core. Remember, before the pandemic, the cap was expected to rise between $2.5 million-to-$6.7 million for the 2020-21 season.

If there was no flat cap, Tavares' $11-million hit looks much better than it does today. And the cap hits for Nylander, Marner, and Matthews would've aged like fine wine over time.

But even knowing there would be a flat cap for at least three seasons, Dubas didn't deviate from his plan and his top-heavy cap structure. That was probably a mistake, especially after the group's signs of fragility from the playoff collapse against the Montreal Canadiens in 2021. Dubas never even seemed open to the idea of a shake-up until his press conference Monday.

Matthews, Marner, and Nylander all blossomed into stars. And Tavares, even with his declining foot speed, has remained productive into the back half of his mammoth contract. So, it's easy to understand why Dubas was willing to put his job at stake for this group. But despite moments of looking like the core could carry the team to the promised land, it failed time and time again when it mattered most.

Firing Mike Babcock and bringing in Sheldon Keefe

Dubas brought the hammer down on Mike Babcock in November 2019, firing the curmudgeonly head coach on the heels of a six-game losing streak that pushed Toronto outside of a playoff spot. The move ushered in Sheldon Keefe, who was promoted from his post with the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

The Maple Leafs have enjoyed regular-season bliss since Keefe took over the helm, amassing a 166-71-30 record to go along with a sparkling .678 points percentage, the fourth-highest in the league in that span. Keefe also guided the Leafs to their two best seasons in franchise history in terms of points (111 in 2022-23 and 115 in 2021-22). Unfortunately for Toronto, that success hasn't translated in the playoffs: Keefe's Leafs are 13-17 in the postseason with one series win under their belts.

What's next for Keefe - who's under contract for one more campaign - was already uncertain after the Maple Leafs were unceremoniously ousted from the second round by the surprising Florida Panthers this spring. However, his future is downright muddy with Dubas no longer in his corner.

Trading Nazem Kadri

There was some sense behind trading Kadri, but it ended up as one of Dubas' worst moves. After all, Kadri was just coming off his second straight playoff suspension, and the Leafs had Matthews and Tavares as their 1-2 punch down the middle. Kadri was an overqualified third center.

But the return of Tyson Barrie and Alexander Kerfoot ended up being insignificant. Barrie wasn't the type of defenseman Toronto needed, as his defensive shortcomings were exposed with the Leafs before he walked as a free agent a year later. Kerfoot never developed into anything more than a versatile bottom-six caliber forward.

Kadri, meanwhile, ended up becoming an integral piece for the Colorado Avalanche's 2022 Stanley Cup victory.

Unearthing hidden gems

This is one of Dubas' best traits as a GM, and a necessary one given his devotion to the top-heavy cap structure. One of his first - and best - moves came while he was the interim GM in June 2015, trading Greg McKegg to the Florida Panthers for an unsigned fifth-round pick named Zach Hyman.

Dubas also made some savvy adds in free agency. Michael Bunting (two years, $950K AAV), David Kampf (two years, $1.5M AAV), and Ilya Samsonov (one year, $1.8M), in particular, stand out.

While many of Dubas' draft picks are still developing, he's made some good selections despite being a buyer his entire tenure. Snagging Matthew Knies in the second round in 2021 looks like a steal.

Acquiring Nick Foligno

In a post-mortem of Dubas' Maple Leafs tenure, it'd be an oversight if we didn't mention his biggest flop.

Prior to the 2021 trade deadline, Dubas forked over a first-rounder and a pair of fourth-round selections to acquire Foligno from the Columbus Blue Jackets as part of a three-team trade. Foligno only suited up for 11 games as a Maple Leaf - including four in the playoffs - due to what he later referred to as a "debilitating" back injury.

Of course, Dubas had no way of knowing that Foligno's time as a Maple Leaf would be so limited, but that first-rounder was always a steep price to pay for a banged-up veteran forward on an expiring deal. Adding insult to injury, the Boston Bruins acquired Taylor Hall and forward Curtis Lazar from the Buffalo Sabres soon after in exchange for a second-round pick and Anders Bjork.

It wasn't Dubas' finest hour.

The expansion draft debacle

Justin Holl or Jared McCann? That was essentially the decision Dubas had to make for the 2021 Seattle expansion draft. If Toronto used the 7-11 format, Seattle likely would've taken Holl. Instead, the Leafs went 4-4 and let the Kraken scoop up McCann.

Dubas had just acquired McCann from Pittsburgh for pennies on the dollar because the Penguins didn't want to lose him in expansion for nothing. But instead of taking the asset and running with it, Dubas sacrificed McCann.

Holl had just established himself as a serviceable top-four defenseman and was still signed for two more years at a bargain $2-million cap hit. McCann's best season at the time was only 14 goals and 32 points in 43 games, but he was also just 25 at the time, four years younger than Holl.

The two players have gone in completely different directions since. McCann led the Kraken with 40 goals and 70 points this past season, while Holl was a healthy scratch at times during the playoffs.

The 2023 trade deadline

The Maple Leafs finally managed to make it out of the opening round of the playoffs in Dubas' final season with Toronto. Their long-awaited series win was largely possible due to the moves the executive made prior to the 2023 trade deadline.

In what might've been his biggest swing, Dubas picked up Conn Smythe Trophy winner Ryan O'Reilly and physical forward Noel Acciari from the St. Louis Blues. Dubas wasn't done there, further injecting some grit into his roster by acquiring forward Sam Lafferty, rearguard Jake McCabe, blue-liner Erik Gustafsson, and bruiser Luke Schenn.

Whether it was Schenn providing a stable presence on a pair with the offensively minded Morgan Rielly, or O'Reilly netting the equalizer in Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, many of Dubas' acquisitions made a sizeable impact in the playoffs.

Dubas has long had a penchant for acquiring aging, tenacious veterans on expiring contracts around the deadline (see: the aforementioned Foligno deal and the swap that brought Mark Giordano to Toronto in 2022). This season was no different. Of the Leafs' six new players, four of them - O'Reilly, Acciari, Gustafsson, and Schenn - are pending unrestricted free agents. It'll be up to a new GM to decide who of the bunch he wants to let walk.

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The Calgary Flames are in the final stages of their general manager search, and Marc Bergevin, Stan Bowman, Craig Conroy, and Dave Nonis are among the candidates, reports Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.

Bergevin, Bowman, and Nonis all visited Calgary last week for in-person interviews, Seravalli added.

Conroy is the lone internal candidate of the four, but he also comes with the least experience. He's worked in the Flames' front office for 13 years, the last nine seasons spent as assistant GM. The 51-year-old played nine of his 16 NHL seasons in Calgary.

Bergevin served as GM and executive vice president of hockey operations for the Montreal Canadiens from 2012-2021, leading the team to a Stanley Cup Final berth in 2021. He's been working as a senior advisor with the Los Angeles Kings over the last couple of seasons.

Bowman oversaw three Stanley Cup championships during his 13 seasons as GM of the Chicago Blackhawks from 2009-2021. He resigned in October 2021 following an investigation into the organization's handling of the sexual abuse of former player Kyle Beach in 2010. Bowman hasn't worked in an NHL front office since.

Nonis owns over six years of NHL GM experience, spending four years with the Vancouver Canucks from 2004-08 and two with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2013-15. He's worked in the Anaheim Ducks' front office since then, including the past three campaigns as assistant GM.

The Flames and former GM Brad Treliving parted ways in April after nine seasons together. Calgary's president of hockey operations, Don Maloney, is currently serving as interim GM.

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