The Carolina Hurricanes avoided being swept in the Eastern Conference finals on Monday night, and beat the Florida Panthers 3-0 in a crucial Game 4, keeping their Stanley Cup playoff hopes alive. With the win, the Hurricanes now trail the Panthers 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, marking a significant turning point in the matchup.
The Hurricanes had previously lost their prior 15 Eastern Conference Final games before Monday’s win, facing elimination in a series they had failed to overcome in their history. This was their first victory in an Eastern Conference Final since 2006, and they had been swept in 2009, 2019, and 2023, but now held the series advantage after Game 4.
Logan Stankoven gave the Hurricanes their first lead of the series with a powerful wrist shot that found the back of the net midway through the second period. He credited his teammate Alexander Nikishin for setting him up with a cross-ice pass, calling it the key play that led to the game’s defining moment.
Hurricanes goalie Frederik Anderson, who started Games 1 and 2, was replaced by Pyotr Kochetkov for Game 3 but returned for Game 4. Anderson stopped all 20 shots he faced, delivering a stellar performance that bolstered the Hurricanes’ defense.