2023 Postseason: Eastern Conference Final, Game 4- Hurricanes at Florida Panthers (FLA leads 3-0)

The Canes stare down the barrel as their backs are firmly planted against the wall. No matter what metaphor you use, the Canes are in it. Tonight could be their final game of the season as they try to stave off elimination and force Game 5 in Raleigh on Friday night. The difference between these two teams has been minuscule for three games but Florida has been one goal better each time. Game 3 only saw one goal as Sam Reinhart's tally on the power play in the second period would be the only time the puck entered the net. Sergei Bobrovsky continued to look unbeatable, stopping all 32 shots he faced for the first shutout of his postseason career. Frederik Andersen was also excellent, only facing 17 shots on Monday night. This is literally a must-win game for the Canes to keep their season alive. The Canes' luck has been nonexistent for the entire series with no love being shown by the goalposts. What they're being asked to do has never been done in NHL history. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the conference finals. However, if the Canes can win this game, it might give us all a sliver of hope that they can do it. It starts with one win. Win the night and you might live to see tomorrow. 

Canes Lineup

Stefan Noesen-Sebastian Aho-Seth Jarvis

Jack Drury-Jesperi Kotkaniemi-Teuvo Teravainen

Mackenzie MacEachern-Jordan Staal-Martin Necas

Jordan Martinook-Paul Stastny-Jesper Fast

Jaccob Slavin-Brent Burns

Brady Skjei-Brett Pesce

Shayne Gostisbehere-Jalen Chatfield

Injuries/Scratches/Extras- Derek Stepan (healthy), Antti Raanta (healthy), Jesse Puljujarvi (healthy), Calvin de Haan (healthy), Dylan Coghlan (healthy), Pyotr Kochetkov (healthy)

IR- Andrei Svechnikov (Torn ACL), Max Pacioretty (Achilles), Ondrej Kase (concussion)

There's only one small change to the lineup tonight as Mackenzie MacEachern and Jack Drury will switch lines. Otherwise, it's the same group for the Canes. 

Starting Goalies

FLA- Sergei Bobrovsky (10-2, 32-Save Shutout in Game 3) 

There aren't enough words for me to describe how good he's been. It's arguably the best he's looking in a Panthers uniform. He's tough to beat. That's the scouting report. 

CAR- Frederik Andersen (5-2, 1 GA on 17 Shots in Game 3)

Andersen has allowed four goals in his two starts. Bobrovsky has allowed three goals in the entire series. The Canes don't trail because of Andersen because he's been phenomenal. He just hasn't been better than the guy across from him. 

Scoring Summary

1st Period

(FLA) 0:41- Anthony Duclair (3) (assisted by Aleksander Barkov (9) & Carter Verhaeghe (9))

(FLA) 10:23- Matthew Tkachuk (8) PP (assisted by Aaron Ekblad (5) & Carter Verhaeghe (10))

(CAR) 13:03- Paul Stastny (4) (assisted by Brady Skjei (2) & Jordan Martinook (8))

2nd Period

(CAR) 2:51- Teuvo Teravainen (1) (assisted by Brady Skjei (3) & Jesperi Kotkaniemi (4))

(FLA) 9:49- Ryan Lomberg (1) (assisted by Colin White (2) & Eric Staal (2))

3rd Period

(CAR) 16:38- Jesper Fast (6) (assisted by Jordan Martinook (9) & Jalen Chatfield (3))

(FLA) 19:55- Matthew Tkachuk (9) PP (assisted by Aleksander Barkov (10) & Sam Reinhart (4))

Let's Talk About the Game

Even if we were prepared for the worst, it still stings. This was easily the ugliest of the four games in the series and Florida was just slightly less ugly tonight. They truly earned the series win. With everything that transpired tonight, the real difference in the game came 87 seconds in. Sure, Anthony Duclair scored earlier than that but at the 1:27 mark, Sam Bennett laid a thunderous hit on Jaccob Slavin. My initial impression of the hit was that it appeared clean. The real impact came when Slavin fell backward and hit his head on the ice. He tried to get up and it was very clear the lights were off and no one was home. Slavin is arguably the most important player on the bench for the Canes and his presence was missed, especially on the penalty kill. Both of Matthew Tkachuk's goals in this game were on the power play, including the eventual winner with 4.9 seconds left in regulation. The Canes also lost Stefan Noesen early in the game. He tried to come back and never did. They essentially played this game down two players, one of whom is their best defender. 

I'll give the Canes a ton of credit in this one because, despite the adversity, they fought until the very end. They faced a 2-0 deficit for the first time in the series and finally got a bounce late in the first period. Paul Stastny, after being knocked down by Radko Gudas, redirected a shot from Brady Skjei off the post and followed it up by shoveling the rebound into the net to break Sergei Bobrovsky's shutout streak. Teuvo Teravainen got onto the scoresheet early in the second period with a great individual effort to lift his shot over the shoulder of Bobrovsky and tie the game. Florida followed that up with a goal a few minutes later and held that lead for most of the second half of the game. The Canes kept fighting and tied it late again as Jesper Fast finished a beautiful pass from Jordan Martinook with under four minutes left. 

The difference tonight was the special teams. Florida killed all four of their penalties and scored twice on the power play. We can speculate how Slavin's absence affected the kill but the power play failed to get anything, something we've said way too many times in the final two months of the season. Tonight, it cost them their season. This was the first time that Bobrovsky looked human in the series and the Canes finally "broke through" for three goals but it still wasn't enough. Too many defensive breakdowns led to chances and some undisciplined sticks doomed them. I can't even get mad at Frederik Andersen for allowing four goals. He didn't stand a chance on any of them. The Duclair goal is the only one I look at and say maybe it could've been prevented because it looked like he had the puck and decided to move. 

I've dreaded this moment for the entire postseason because now there isn't any more hockey for the Canes to play this season. Still, the ride to this point was fun, albeit a little stressful. The Canes weren't able to overcome a rough start to the series and before we knew it, the losses resulted in a 3-0 series deficit. They had their chances tonight and weren't able to get the series back to Raleigh. The Panthers deserve all the credit in the world for the way they played in this series. They are truly battle-tested and will be a nightmare in the Stanley Cup Final, likely against Vegas. 

Canes' Three Stars of the Game

Third Star- Frederik Andersen (20 Saves)

Andersen put the team on his back for this series and they weren't able to give him three games of goal support. Even tonight, I thought he played well. He made some huge saves with the game 2-1 early in the second period that kept the Canes in the game. If this is his last game with the Hurricanes, he made the most of it and almost got the series back to Raleigh. 

Second Star- Jordan Martinook (2 Assists)

After staying relatively quiet for most of the series, Martinook was a difference-maker tonight. He helped to get the Canes on the board in the first period before setting up the game-tying goal late in the third period. With his two assists tonight, Martinook will finish the postseason tied with Aho in points with 12 and the team lead in assists with nine. 

First Star- Brady Skjei (2 Assists)

It was a rough postseason for Skjei and Pesce but the former really showed up tonight with Slavin out. He set a new career-high with 11 hits, six more than any other player on the ice tonight. He also had two assists, setting up the first two goals for the Canes. He also led the team with three blocked shots, tied for the most in the game. It was a strong finish to an otherwise unspectacular postseason. 

Around the League

WCF- Dallas/Vegas (VGK 3-0)- Just like in the East, the Western Conference Final has seen one team win all three games. Game 3 was the first game in either series to be decided by more than one goal as Adin Hill shut out the Stars as Vegas cruised to a 4-0 win with a berth in the Stanley Cup Final on the horizon.