Hurricanes Avoid Sweep with 3-0 Win over Panthers in Eastern Conference Finals

The Carolina Hurricanes secured their first win in an Eastern Conference Final game in nearly two decades by defeating the Florida Panthers 3-0 in Game 4, staving off a series sweep and cutting the Panthers' lead to 3-1. Frederik Andersen returned as goalie to record a playoff shutout, while Logan Stankoven scored the game’s only goal, assisted by Alexander Nikishin. Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal added empty-net goals to seal the victory, as the Hurricanes limited the Panthers to just 12 shots through two periods. This victory ended a long drought for Carolina, marking their first lead in the series and first East Final win since 2006. However, prior to Game 4, the Hurricanes had suffered a heavy 6-2 loss in Game 3, where Florida's explosive five-goal third period, led by Aleksander Barkov and Niko Mikkola, pushed them to a commanding 3-0 series lead. The Panthers have been bolstered by injuries on both sides, with key players out for Florida including Sam Reinhart and Niko Mikkola at times, while Carolina has also dealt with absences, making the series highly competitive despite the current series gap.