Hurricanes know when they’ll face the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final

The Carolina Hurricanes will end up with a full week off before the Eastern Conference Final, opening the series against the Florida Panthers at PNC Arena on Thursday at 8 p.m. Game 2 is Saturday.

TNT will carry the series, the NHL announced Monday. All games in the Eastern Conference Final are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.

Games 3 and 4 are on the road in Sunrise, Fla., on Monday, May 22 and Wednesday, May 24. If necessary, Game 5 is in Raleigh on Friday, May 26; Game 6 is in Sunrise on Sunday, May 28; and Game 7 is on Tuesday, May 30.

The Hurricanes waited all weekend to find out when they’ll actually play again, but when the Vegas Golden Knights avoided Game 7 with a come-from-behind 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers late Sunday night, it allowed the NHL to set its scheduling plans in motion. ESPN will air the Western Conference Final between the Knights and Monday’s Game 7 winner between the Dallas Stars and Seattle Kraken, beginning Friday.

The Hurricanes have been done with their second-round series against the New Jersey Devils since Thursday’s Game 5 win at PNC Arena. The Canes’ foe in the conference final, the Florida Panthers, finished off the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games with a win in Toronto on Friday.

The league could have started the series as early as Tuesday, if it had wanted uninterrupted coverage into the next round. However, the Stanley Cup Final isn’t slated to begin until the first week of June, and an early start to the conference finals would mean a long break before the final, especially if either conference final lasts only four or five games.

The Hurricanes — with the best record of any remaining team — hold home-ice advantage for as long as they remain alive in the playoffs.

Tickets for all of the games have been on sale since Friday. As of early Monday, a smattering of seats were still available via Ticketmaster at face value, which ranged from $155-$750, with many more offered for resale at varying price points.

Hurricanes Eastern Conference Final schedule

* - If necessary