NHL fans react as Hurricanes break 19-year ECF deadlock with Game 4 shutout win over Panthers

The Carolina Hurricanes kept their season alive with a 3-0 win over the Florida Panthers on Monday night. This win ended a 19-year drought in the Eastern Conference final. Their last win in this round came on June 1, 2006, against the Buffalo Sabres.

Frederik Andersen returned in goal and stopped 20 shots for a shutout. It was his fifth career playoff shutout. Logan Stankoven scored the first goal, and Carolina held the lead, adding two more to close the game.

The Hurricanes had lost 15 straight games in the Eastern Conference final before this win. B/R Open Ice shared the news on X:

"FINALLYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!! THE CANES HAVE WON THEIR FIRST CONFERENCE FINAL GAME IN 19 YEARS 🤯"

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Enthusiastic fans joined the comment section to share their reactions.

"I’ve seen enough. Canes in 7." One fan wrote.

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"Last time they won a ECF game before tonight Atlanta had a NHL team." Another fan shared.

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"19 years later and the Canes finally woke up—better late than never, right?! 🎉😆" One fan wrote.

Take a look at some more reactions from fans on X:

"Florida really sat 3 guys and gave them a W knowing they’ll wash them in Game 5 lmaooo" one fan said.

"You scrambled to put this one together eh? Show the meme for the last time the Leafs won a conference final game? The b*******ness" another fan said.

"Canes breaking curses and probably a few hearts tonight! Who’s ready for the finals?" one fan wrote.

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour on the shutout win

Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said the team played the way they needed to. He felt they stayed solid all night.

"We were good all night," Brind'Amour said, via ESPN. "It's how we need to play if we're going to have a chance, and we gave ourselves a chance. That's all you can ask."

Brind’Amour also praised his goalie, Frederik Andersen. He said Andersen made tough shots look easy and gave them confidence.

“That’s when you know he’s really on.” Brind’Amour said.

Logan Stankoven scored the first goal over Sergei Bobrovsky's shoulder. It gave Carolina a 1-0 lead. Late in the third period, Sebastian Aho scored an empty-net goal to make it 2-0. A few moments later, Jordan Staal scored another empty-net goal and sealed the 3-0 win.

The Hurricanes stopped a sweep and cut Florida’s series lead to 3-1. The Panthers still lead the series, and Game 5 will be in Carolina.

About the author

Abhilasha is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda. Holding a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, her interest in writing hockey was piqued after watching an NHL skills video on YouTube. The 2023 Stanley Cup Finale series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers was among the most iconic games she has seen and it left an impact on her.

Her reporting strengths include covering news stories and following stars like McDavid, Matthews and Alex Ovechkin, among others.

Abhilasha is a huge fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche because of their skilled forwards, while her favorite players include Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Connor Bedard. For her, John Tortorella is the greatest coach ever.

Abhilasha has over 3 years of experience writing content for different products and websites, along with handling social media content for various brands. She values using credible sources when writing and likes to identify fake and false narratives.

Abhilasha’s hobbies include spiritual reading, staying updated on the latest makeup trends, fitness and exploring new destinations through travel.

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Edited by Dipayan Moitra

NHL fans react as Hurricanes break 19-year ECF deadlock with Game 4 shutout win over Panthers - "I've seen enough. Canes in 7"

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour on the shutout win