The Carolina Hurricanes are in a hole. A very deep hole that they've found themselves in way too many times in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Florida Panthers completely outclassed them in Game 2, winning 5-0 to sweep both games in Raleigh, just as they did in 2023. The Hurricanes are searching to regain their identity at the absolute worst time.
The lineup was shuffled again for the third game of the series. Pyotr Kochetkov assumed control of the crease after relieving Frederik Andersen in Game 2. Jesperi Kotkaniemi also drew back in for Jack Roslovic. Sean Walker and Jalen Chatfield missed the game with injuries, giving Scott Morrow and Alexander Nikishin another look. Sam Reinhart was out for the Panthers with an injury.
Kochetkov was thrown into the line of fire early. He was ready for the test, making a massive paddle stop to set the tone. Unfortunately, he didn't have an answer for being scored on by his teammate. Niko Mikkola's chance deflected off Dmitry Orlov and into the net, giving the Panthers the icebreaker in Sunrise.
Late in the period, Jackson Blake absorbed a massive hit from Eetu Luostarinen, sending the rookie to the ice in a heap. The Panthers forward hit him from behind and drove his head into the boards. The stripes determined it was enough for five minutes and a game misconduct, giving the Hurricanes a golden opportunity. They wasted the first three minutes of it, ending the period down a goal.
The Hurricanes turned in their best stretch of hockey in this series during the second period. They played with pace and created a ton of excellent chances. Logan Stankoven had a beautiful 2-on-1 chance that Sergei Bobrovsky got over to deny with his blocker. They finally looked like a group that remembered how to play hockey.
Try as they might, it took them a while to finally crack the scoreboard. On the power play, the Canes evened the game. Bobrovsky stopped Brent Burns' shot, but it squirted out and landed behind his left pad. Stankoven was on the spot to pop home the rebound. It's his fourth goal of the postseason, passing Blake for the most by a rookie this postseason.
With the game tied after 40 minutes, it felt right there for the Hurricanes to grab. Instead, the Panthers regained their advantage immediately. Jesper Boqvist, who replaced Reinhart in the lineup, made Orlov look silly as he danced around him and beat Kochetkov between his pads. Just like that, the Canes were behind again.
Boqvist's goal created an avalanche that eventually buried the Hurricanes. Across four minutes, the Panthers scored four more times unanswered. Mikkola snapped home his second of the game, followed by Aleksander Barkov twice and Brad Marchand to make it 6-1. Seth Jarvis added another power-play goal, but there was no celebrating by the bench. Falling 6-2, the Canes are at the edge.
For 40 minutes, this looked like a hockey team that had found its game and might actually put up a fight in this series. They were making plays and preventing the Panthers from getting much going. When they did, Pyotr Kochetkov was there to make the stop. The offense hadn't broken out yet, but Logan Stankoven's goal revitalized the group at the right time.
The Hurricanes must've remembered they were in the conference finals during the second intermission because they crumbled in the third. Everything good they'd done was thrown out the window. A turnover in the neutral zone on a missed pass from Taylor Hall to Sebastian Aho led to the go-ahead goal, and it was all downhill from there.
The third period was all about bad decisions. Dmitry Orlov made quite a few in this game, including a brutal turnover before Barkov's first goal. Scott Morrow made an ill-advised pass to the middle of the ice before Barkov's second goal. Then, he made a tough decision to pinch at the wrong time, allowing Florida to transition with a 2-on-1 for their sixth goal.
The rookies looked good on Saturday. Alexander Nikishin looked much better in his second game, finishing with five hits. Jackson Blake shook off a tough hit and finished the game strong. Logan Stankoven factored in both goals. Scott Morrow made some mistakes but has looked more confident after a shaky Game 1.
It might be a little too late for them, but the Canes' special teams were also a small ray of sunshine. The power play accounted for both goals, while the penalty kill strung together a 4-for-4 night after struggling in Games 1 and 2. It might not have won them the game, but it's a positive building block heading into Monday's Game 4.
Game 4: It's no longer a matter of "if" but "when" the Hurricanes' season comes to an end. The Panthers will have their first chance to advance on Monday night as they go for the sweep in Game 4. Should the Hurricanes fight to live another day, the series will return to Raleigh on Wednesday. Otherwise, the team could be booking tee times as early as Tuesday.