It was "win or go home" for the Carolina Hurricanes as they tried to stave off elimination in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Canes played their best 40 minutes of the series during Game 3 on Saturday, sitting tied 1-1 after two periods. The Panthers blitzed them for five goals in the third, winning 6-2 to take a 3-0 series lead and extending the losing streak to 15 conference finals games.
The Hurricanes deployed the same lineup as Saturday, meaning Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker remained out of action. The only change was in the net as Frederik Andersen returned to the starter's crease after sitting out Game 3. The Panthers played another game without Sam Reinhart, who was injured during Game 2, while Niko Mikkola and AJ Greer also missed with injuries.
The Hurricanes played an excellent road period to begin the night. They were generating chances in the offensive zone, sustaining pressure longer than they had throughout the series. They forced Sergei Bobrovsky to make tough saves as they got to their game. Logan Stankoven had a great chance off a Florida turnover but sent it over the net.
The Panthers created plenty of chances against Andersen, too. The rest did him wonders as he looked calm and collected. Carter Verhaeghe had an early 2-on-1 chance that Andersen fought off. Add a perfect penalty kill late in the period, and the Hurricanes appeared in business. After 20 minutes, the scoreless draw remained.
It took the Hurricanes over 210 minutes, but they finally earned their first lead of the series halfway through the second period. It was an excellent look into the future as rookies connected. Alexander Nikishin made a beautiful backhand pass into space to spring Stankoven on a breakaway. Stankoven snapped one over Bobrovsky's blocker, putting the Canes in front.
The lead remained intact through the end of the period, but not without a close call. Nate Schmidt ripped a one-timer from the point that rang the blocker-side metal behind Andersen. Fortunately, the shot stayed out. The Canes did an excellent job of blocking shots on a late Florida power play to get into the break ahead by a goal.
Both sides got to work on special teams early in the third period without any success. The Canes thought they'd gone up 2-0 shortly after killing a Nikishin slash as Eric Robinson found Mark Jankowski for a breakaway. However, the Panthers quickly challenged the play for offside to take the goal off the board. Robinson was early into the zone, negating the marker.
The pressure kept mounting from the Panthers, but the Hurricanes refused to break. Bobrovsky went to the bench with under 2:30 left, allowing the Canes to seal the deal. All three members of the top line touched the puck before Sebastian Aho buried it. Jordan Staal added another empty-netter 26 seconds later to finish the job. For the first time in 19 years, the Hurricanes got their ninth win.
This was the effort we've been waiting to see at this stage of the postseason. It is the suffocating style of defense that gives teams fits. Jaccob Slavin played 28 minutes and was all over the ice all night. He was easily the most noticeable player for either side, throwing himself in front of pucks and using his stick to prevent plays from materializing.
Frederik Andersen returned to the net after a few days off and looked composed. He won the battle in Game 4 despite another masterful performance by Sergei Bobrovsky. While Carolina controlled play for most of the first two periods, the Panthers pushed back in the third. Andersen did his best work over the final 20 minutes, making 20 stops to record his second shutout.
I'm not sure there's a more satisfying way to record your first NHL point than how Alexander Nikishin did on Monday night. The Russian defenseman has improved leaps and bounds over the last two games. Nikishin made the play that ultimately decided the game, laying the perfect pass for Logan Stankoven to skate into. It was another big moment for the Canes' rookies in the postseason.
The Hurricanes' top line also had a big night, setting the tone for the group offensively. Sebastian Aho looked like a man possessed, firing six shots at Bobrovsky. It was great to see him get rewarded with the empty-net goal that sealed it. Andrei Svechnikov also looked much calmer than he had in the previous three games. He didn't take any unnecessary penalties and added an assist.
Game 5: The Carolina Hurricanes have a little life in the series. Their 15-game, 6,900+-day winless streak in the conference finals has officially ended. They're still trying to do something that has only happened four times in NHL history, but the Canes have allowed themselves the opportunity to fight another day. Game 5 on Wednesday in Raleigh will be electric. Can the Canes keep it going?