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New York Times
25-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Gentille: The Hurricanes are out of answers — and nearly out of time
SUNRISE, Fla. — It's reductive to take hockey games and boil them down to single-word themes. In some instances, it might be unfair. Still, for the Eastern Conference final — at least as it relates to the performances from the players who find themselves one loss away from packing up their lockers — we're going to do it anyway. Advertisement The Carolina Hurricanes' Game 1 loss brought defiance. They thought they played well enough to win, and in plenty of important ways, they were correct. Their Game 2 loss brought confusion. 'We're all a little bit at a loss,' Taylor Hall said from his locker Thursday. And their Game 3 loss — the most recent, most shocking and least competitive — seems to have brought some degree of resignation. When you've been outscored 16-4 in 180 minutes of hockey, what's left? When you spend 40 minutes taking care and being careful and playing the defending champions to a draw and starting to look like a team that's capable — in theory, if not practice — of making things interesting, only to get outscored 5-1 in the final period, where else is there to go? When you're down 3-0 in a series to a team that, with each day, looks more and more like a fully functional Death Star, what else is there to do? 'Just win a hockey game. And play a lot better than that third period,' Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho said Saturday. 'Up until that point, I think, there was not much going on either way. And both had a few looks. Not much. At least that way, we were (giving ourselves) a chance to win a hockey game. But then (the third period's) just off their rails. Bad plays. And they make us pay, and it's game over.' C'mon, boys — Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) May 25, 2025 The bad plays Aho mentioned started 89 seconds into the third period of a 1-1 game. The score was representative of the action. Up to that point, each team had six high-danger scoring chances and each had 39 shot attempts, per Natural Stat Trick. It was close, and then certainly was not. A neutral-zone giveaway by Hall is what triggered the avalanche. Florida defenseman Aaron Ekblad pounced and shuffled the puck to Evan Rodrigues. Rodrigues left a back pass for Adam Boqvist, and Boqvist went hard to the net and embarrassed Carolina defenseman Dmitry Orlov. Uh-oh. Advertisement 'I think the game was right there for us through two periods,' Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said. 'And, you know, a quick turnover and they made us pay, and then they got rolling. It's a tough team to stop when you get the juices flowing and we're playing turnover city there. They're going to make you pay. But yeah, that was a tough goal.' The Panthers made it 3-1 on a botched three-on-two defense by Orlov, who played the puck carrier (Sam Bennett) rather than the pass. They made it 4-1 on a botched zone exit by Orlov, who cleared the puck directly into Matthew Tkachuk's nameplate. Orlov, by the way, is another recurring theme. The 33-year-old defenseman has been on the ice for 10 goals by the Panthers and zero by the Hurricanes. On Saturday night, a bad series turned into a horrific one. 'You can't,' Brind'Amour said when asked to explain Orlov's Game 3 performance. 'You can't. You've got to count on certain players. And you can't put it all on him, but I mean, some of the mistakes … you're not winning at this time when you (make mistakes) like that.' Florida managed made it 5-1 without Orlov's involvement. Shayne Gostisbehere tried to reverse course behind Carolina's net and lost the puck; rookie partner Scott Morrow gathered it and flipped it directly to Aleksander Barkov. Barkov did not miss. 'I think we were there (after two periods); obviously, we were playing better,' Brind'Amour said. 'And then just to turn pucks over — it's not what we do. No one does that. And I think that was just pretty (surprising). I mean, you can't do that. And you can't do it any time. 'Preseason game, it's going to cost you. But against that team? And you turn over for an odd-man rush, forget it. And we know that. And that was really, I think, demoralizing.' Staal, after the 6-2 demolition was complete, was asked if it was frustrating to grind, generate a bit and then have it slip away after one mistake. Advertisement 'Yeah, it can be frustrating,' Staal said. 'It's one mistake … but they're big mistakes. You can't have partial breakaways and two-on-ones. It's one thing to give them a couple point shots or a couple of shots on the outside. It's big, big chances. And, you know, we can't do that.' Asked if they were outclassed by a team with a core that's now beaten them in seven consecutive Eastern Conference playoff games, each more convincingly than the last, Staal's response was short. 'They gotta win four.' It feels like his team's time remaining in the playoffs is short, too.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bryce Perkins, Olive Sagapolu-Failauga
Hurricanes Must Listen To Taylor Hall's Big Message The Carolina Hurricanes had a nightmare Game 2 against the Florida Panthers. After allowing three goals in the first period to the Panthers, the Hurricanes were unable to bounce back and lost by a 5-0 final score. It was just an uncharacteristically brutal game for Carolina, and they are now down 2-0 in the series because of it. 1:34 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Taylor Hall refuses to sugarcoat as Hurricanes inch toward 20 year disaster
Taylor Hall refuses to sugarcoat as Hurricanes inch toward 20 year disaster (Image Source: Getty Images) The Carolina Hurricanes are in serious trouble. They've lost 14 consecutive Conference Final games since 2006, and the 2025 series against the Florida Panthers is not much different. Down 0-2, the Canes need to answer some questions fast. Left-wing Taylor Hall has answered with a strong message of belief and defiance, even as the series heads to Florida. Meanwhile, the Panthers are rolling high although a main injury to Sam Reinhart has the potential to turn everything around for the future. Taylor Hall pushes back as Canes try to stay alive Having lost both games at home, the Hurricanes are under pressure. They have not won a game in the Conference Final in close to 20 years, and it is going the wrong way again. But Taylor Hall is not about to wave the white flag. He made some comments after the Game 2 loss, an attempt to fire up his team and caution the Panthers against getting too confident. "Meaning, they just played seven games against the Leafs, right? They're not a flawless hockey team," Hall said following the defeat. "There are things to take advantage of, like any team." His message was clear Carolina still feels they have what it takes. Head coach Rod Brind'Amour concurred the Hurricanes must elevate their play. The team was flat on home ice and surrendered early opportunities. If they wish to take this series into another game, they'll have to play with a better start and sense of urgency in Game 3. Brind'Amour termed it as a "must-win," with the Canes attempting not to fall behind 3-0. Also Read: Florida Panthers' Sam Reinhart Injury Sparks Concern Amid 2-0 Eastern Conference Final Lead Over Hurricanes Panthers take control but Sam Reinhart's injury looms large Florida has made the most out of their opportunities. Led by Brad Marchand, the Panthers are a team on a mission. Everything is not all sunshine and rainbows, though. In Game 2, star forward Sam Reinhart went down early due to a lower-body injury. He didn't come back and could miss the remainder of the series. That's a major blow for Florida. Reinhart has been a consistent scoring threat and a leader on the ice. His absence could weaken the Panthers' attack and give Carolina a chance to rally. As the series moves to Sunrise, one team is fighting history, and the other is battling health. Game 3 could change everything. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Fox News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal says 5-0 Eastern Conference final loss to Panthers was an 'a-- whooping'
The Florida Panthers dominated Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final, beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-0 at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh. Jordan Staal, the Hurricanes' captain, offered a blunt assessment of how the game went. "An a-- whooping," Staal told Walt Ruff. The Hurricanes' loss was their 14th straight in a conference final, dating back to sweeps in 2009, 2019 and the 2023 round with the Panthers. "I think we're all a little bit at a loss," Hurricanes forward Taylor Hall said. At one point, fans started chanting, "Shoot the puck! Shoot the puck!" The Hurricanes managed just 17 shots on goal in the loss. "This game is mental," Staal said. "I mean, it's all about the brain and your focus and the thoughts that can creep in. It's got to be the thoughts we've been thinking all year, and that's playing our game and focusing on our shifts and our battles and doing what we do. "When you let those thoughts like that come in, it never looks good. I think we've got to believe in the group and what we have and what we've done all year and go steal one in Game 3." Carolina's last conference final win was in Game 7 in 2006 against Buffalo during the franchise's lone Cup title run. Current head coach Rod Brind'Amour was the captain of that team who scored the third-period winner against the Buffalo Sabres. Now Brind'Amour will hope to lead a turnaround in Game 3, scheduled for 8 p.m. ET Saturday. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
NBC Sports
23-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Hurricanes' Game 2 loss to Panthers offers an unwelcome repeat of conference-final history from 2023
RALEIGH, N.C. — The frustration bubbled over late in the second period, after the Carolina Hurricanes' latest rush failed to get off even a shot as they trailed big against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. 'Shoot the puck! Shoot the puck!' the chants began, a departure for a venue known for rowdy chaotic zeal building a significant home-ice advantage. The Hurricanes hadn't forgotten being swept out of the Eastern Conference final two years ago by the Panthers in four one-goal losses. This was supposed to be different. Instead, the Hurricanes are right back in a dire situation — only seemingly worse this time — against the Panthers after losing the first two conference-final games at home. And that only has turned a losing streak that has was once merely a curious footnote into a growing weight with each passing game. 'I think we're all a little bit at a loss,' Carolina forward Taylor Hall said. The 5-0 loss in Game 2 marked Carolina's 14th straight loss in a conference final, going back to sweeps in 2009, 2019 and the '23 round with the Panthers. The past 10 of those losses have come during this current iteration that has won at least one postseason series for seven straight seasons. The first four of those came in '19 to favored Boston, as a young team happy to make it back to the postseason after missing the playoffs for nine straight years. The past six though? All against the Panthers, with measuring-stick margins getting bigger along with the potential for self-doubt with the series shifting south for Games 3 and 4. 'This game is mental,' Carolina captain Jordan Staal said. 'I mean, it's all about the brain and your focus and the thoughts that can creep in. It's got to be the thoughts we've been thinking all year, and that's playing our game and focusing on our shifts and our battles and doing what we do. 'When you let those thoughts like that come in, it never looks good. I think we've got to believe in the group and what we have and what we've done all year, and go steal one in Game 3.' Does he worry those types of thoughts could creep into the locker room? 'No, I think tonight was obviously not great,' Staal said, 'but we're going to have to wash it and move on and own a crappy game.' Carolina's last win in a conference final was Game 7 in 2006 against Buffalo on the way to the franchise's lone Cup title, with Rod Brind'Amour being the captain of that team and scoring the winning third-period goal against the Sabres. Now he's coaching a team struggling for answers — any, really — after a 5-2 loss in Game 1 and then a Game 2 that got away from them about the time Florida's Gustav Forsling scored 77 seconds after the puck drop. 'Obviously, we've got to just figure out how to win a period,' Brind'Amour said. 'We're not going to beat this team if we're not on the same page. And tonight for whatever the reason — I think the intentions were good, everyone's trying, 'OK, I'm going to do this.' But that's not how we do it. And it just backfired.' The formula for Carolina through two five-game playoff series, including against the conference's top-seeded Washington Capitals, had been as straightforward as always. Use an aggressive forecheck to pressure opponents. Get the puck into the offensive zone and keep it there. Fire shots on nets, chase any loose rebounds and keep pressing the attack. And oh yes, rely on a penalty kill that had been lights-out good in the playoffs. Yet the Panthers have carried the action with a deep and tested lineup, jumping to 2-0 and 3-0 first-period leads in the past two games to play confidently from ahead. They've scored four times on the power play, double the total Carolina allowed as the postseason's best kill (28 of 30 with one short-handed goal) entering this series rematch. And in this one, Carolina managed just three first-period shots on goal and just seven through two periods before finishing with 17 — its lowest total in any regular-season or postseason game since at least the start of the 2020-21 season, according to Sportradar. By the end of the game, there was another meager chant trying to take form amid the final minutes of the loss. 'Canes in six! Canes in six!' a few fans yelled, trying to keep faith, in a chant that quickly faded. Right now, anyway, the goal is to just get one.
