"Bullied": 2025-26 Postseason Round 2, Game 3: Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers

The chance to commandeer the series was in the Hurricanes' laps on Thursday night. A win in Game 3 in front of the Flyers faithful would put them one win closer to the conference finals for the third time in four seasons, but they needed a stronger start and a more complete 60-minute effort if they had any hopes of doing so on the road. The Canes welcomed Alexander Nikishin back to the lineup after two games missed with a concussion. Meanwhile, the Flyers are dealing with some key injuries up front. Along with the continued absence of Owen Tippett, who missed his third straight game, Noah Cates is done for the series, and Christian Dvorak, while still playing, is going through something as well. The Canes had their opportunity. It would be on them to seize it.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

CAR (17:27-PP)- Jordan Staal (1) (Andrei Svechnikov (2) & Shayne Gostisbehere (1))

2nd Period

PHI (2:31)- Trevor Zegras (2) (Emil Andrae (1) & Porter Martone (2))

CAR (15:59-SH)- Jalen Chatfield (1) (Jordan Staal (3) & Jordan Martinook (1))

3rd Period

CAR (3:52-PP)- Andrei Svechnikov (1) (Sebastian Aho (1) & Shayne Gostisbehere (2))

CAR (7:08)- Nikolaj Ehlers (2) (Jordan Martinook (2) & K'Andre Miller (5))

My Thoughts

We'll get to the good stuff in a minute, but the Hurricanes' start to this game was not very good. Travis Konecny put a breakaway off the post. Porter Martone put a 2-on-1 off the post. Frederik Andersen was forced to stop a 2-on-0 chance in front of the net. The Canes couldn't make any plays in the neutral zone. They couldn't maintain any sustained pressure in the offensive zone. It was about as strong a start as the Flyers could've asked for. The only issue was that they couldn't capitalize on those chances. I feel like we've said this a time or two about the Canes. However, the Aho line had one big shift that changed the momentum of the period. Eventually, it led to the Canes taking the lead. It's the second straight game that they haven't started on time. It didn't cost them on the scoreboard tonight.

It was another night when special teams dictated the outcome of the game. The Canes opened the scoring on the power play. It wasn't the prettiest goal, but you can't complain much when Jordan Staal banks the puck into the net from a tough angle. What was pretty was the short-handed goal the captain helped to create. After Jordan Martinook laid out to poke the puck free, Staal nutmegged Trevor Zegras to find Jalen Chatfield for a short-handed one-timer under the crossbar. It was pure poetry. The dagger was also provided by the power play early in the third. Andrei Svechnikov found just enough room to put his one-timer off the post and Dan Vladar's skate for his first goal of the postseason. It was a 2-for-9 night for the power play, while the penalty kill went 5-for-5 as the team was a net +3 on special teams. It's tough to beat them when things are rolling like this.

I'm not sure we've seen this wide a spread in scoring for the Canes during the postseason. Four players had multiple points. Staal had a goal on the power play and a short-handed assist. Svechnikov had a goal and an assist on the power play. Martinook had the secondary short-handed assist and the primary helper on Nikolaj Ehlers' breakaway dagger, the Canes' only goal at 5-on-5. Shayne Gostisbehere assisted on both power-play goals for his first points of the playoffs. K'Andre Miller earned his fifth assist, leading all Hurricanes not on the Stankoven line. Chatfield's goal was the first from a Canes defenseman during the playoffs. Sebastian Aho picked up his first helper. The only thing missing was a goal from the fourth line, who've been knocking on the door. 

Once again, the Hurricanes find themselves in a position to sweep an opponent. In the first round, they got it done in four games. The Senators felt like they gave them more of a fight than the Flyers currently are, but that's not to say that Saturday's fourth game will be a cakewalk. The Canes are trying to make history in the process. However, that can't be at the forefront for them. The next game is just another game. There are no special stakes that need to be put on it. They need to go out and know that the Flyers are going to put everything they can into this one because if they don't, their season is over. The Canes have thrived in spots when they've needed to match their opponents' desperation. Saturday should be no different.

First Star of the Game: Jordan Staal

When you want to talk about players leading by example, you mustn't look further than the Hurricanes' captain. Jordan Staal was a beast tonight. He made a hard play behind the net before eventually scoring the opening goal on the power play. Then, he made an excellent pass to Jalen Chatfield to put the Canes back in front. Staal finished with two points and three hits in the game, coming through with his most complete performance of the playoffs thus far.

Around the League

Buffalo-Montreal: The Sabres scored four times on their first nine shots, including twice on the power play, to get out ahead of the Canadiens as they held on for a 4-2 win in Game 1 on Wednesday. (BUF 1-0)

Next Up: The series could potentially end on Saturday, if the Hurricanes find a way to win Game 4. If the Flyers keep their season alive, Game 5 will be at the Lenovo Center on Monday night.