"Simply Deflating": 2025-26 Regular Season, Game 34: Carolina Hurricanes at Florida Panthers

The stakes for this game aren't nearly as great as their encounter in May with the Prince of Wales Trophy on the line. It is, after all, mid-December. However, there's a good deal of pride on the line for the Carolina Hurricanes after they were quickly and unceremoniously dispatched in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Florida Panthers. It's a Friday night before Christmas. No divisions or conferences are going to be won tonight. However, the Canes can get a little revenge, which is about all they can hope for. Along with this "revenge", the Canes are trying for their sixth straight win, and Brandon Bussi is chasing a spot atop the record books once again. So, in a way, there is plenty to play for in Sunrise tonight.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

CAR (11:53)- Jordan Staal (10) (Eric Robinson (3) & Shayne Gostisbehere (22))

2nd Period

None

3rd Period

CAR (1:27)- Sebastian Aho (12) (Andrei Svechnikov (14) & Seth Jaris (9))

CAR (7:34-PP)- Sebastian Aho (13) (Andrei Svechnikov (15) & Seth Jarvis (10))

FLA (10:16)- Brad Marchand (20) (Sam Bennett (12) & Carter Verhaeghe (17))

FLA (17:35)- Sam Bennett (12) (Evan Rodrigues (9) & Sam Reinhart (16))

FLA (19:18)- Sam Reinhart (18) (Brad Marchand (19) & Evan Rodrigues (10))

Overtime

None

Shootout

FLA- Evan Rodrigues

My Thoughts

It almost feels pointless to talk about the rest of the game without skipping ahead to overtime. Right off the opening draw, the Canes were dealt a massive blow. Seth Jarvis was tripped by Evan Rodrigues as he flew into the zone, sending him ribs-first into the goal post as Sergei Bobrovsky made the stop. This wasn't a case of Jarvis losing an edge as he turned a corner. Rodrigues' stick contacted Jarvis's skate, causing him to lose his balance. He immediately yelled in pain and exited from there. He's probably done for the next little bit, bringing an end to his hopes of making Team Canada, regardless of whether or not he was on the inside track to do so. This play was a microcosm of what the final ten minutes of regulation felt like. It was a clear penalty that went uncalled. Unfortunately, it might've cost the group quite a bit. 

I hate the Florida Panthers, and I don't like throwing the word "hate" around all willy-nilly. More specifically, I hate how the Panthers play. They are a very good team, and it's easy to hate the teams that have achieved the success you want to see your team achieve. The Hurricanes led this game 3-0. Once they did, the Panthers started acting like children, trying to be the agitators they are. Clearly, it worked because they won the game. Brad Marchand should be embarrassed that he had to hit Brandon Bussi in the nuts with his stick to score a goal. If he weren't able to back up his cowardice with his abilities on the ice, he'd be just another guy with a big mouth. Or, he'd just be AJ Greer, who laid a bad hit on Jaccob Slavin before having his clock cleaned by Taylor Hall along the boards. They're an infuriating team to play against, and I'm tired of seeing them get away with stuff.

The final result and the big injury overshadowed 50 great minutes of hockey by the Hurricanes. The Panthers had plenty of chances, but Bussi continued to be their brick wall. Maintaining their 1-0 lead, this allowed Sebastian Aho to insert himself in a similar way to Wednesday's game in Nashville. He scored twice at the start of the third period, including another goal on the power play, giving him four goals in the last two third periods. He is finding his game at the right time, which is now amplified by the Jarvis. By the way, he and Andrei Svechnikov provided the assists on his goals, giving Svechnikov back-to-back multi-assist games. Everyone is riding Svechnikov for his decision not to shoot the puck from center ice on the empty net while overlooking this and his seven hits. 

Losing in this fashion now begs the questions of how the Hurricanes will respond to this game, both on Saturday night and on Tuesday when these teams meet again. They'll be doing it without their top goal scorer, which only makes the situation tougher. I have no doubt that they'll be mad about how it all went down. That can either lead them to spiral downhill, or they can use it as motivation to get back to their game against the Lightning before proving they have what it takes to beat the Panthers on home ice before Christmas. I still have plenty of faith in this team's abilities. They're going to be fine. Tonight's blown lead doesn't change that.

First Star of the Game: Brandon Bussi

This was the most disappointing way for him to lose his winning streak. I wanted Brandon Bussi to break that streak so badly. He did just about everything in his power to achieve that dream. It just wasn't in the card. Still, he'll always be in the team's record books, and he still has a point streak after the team earned the loser point. Bussi kept his group in the game at every step of the game, making a career-high 38 stops in his first-ever shootout loss.

Next Up: The Canes conclude their back-to-back on Saturday in Tampa Bay, bringing to an end their daunting road trip of three games in four nights. Before enjoying Christmas with their friends and families, the Hurricanes will host the Panthers at the Lenovo Center on Tuesday. This begins a stretch of eight of their next ten games at home, including their first game after the break against the Red Wings.