Nothing went according to plan for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday night against the Florida Panthers.
While both teams entered the third period deadlocked at 1-1, the Panthers opened the floodgates and exploded for five goals in the game’s final frame, winning in decisive fashion by a 6-2 final score and moving a single win away from their third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
Every aspect of Carolina’s play in the third period was miserable, and they’re now one loss away from once again being eliminated from the postseason by Florida after having already been swept once by them in 2023.
Hurricanes Coach Rod Brind’Amour Called Out Carolina’s Top Players
After the loss, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour had some choice words for his players, whom he felt didn’t show up to play.
“Just bad decision making. And the four rookies in the lineup can’t be some of your better players,” he said. “That can’t happen. There’s a couple guys in there that I don’t think came to play the way they needed to at this time of year. It can’t be Jordan Staal and Martinook being our best players. That can’t always be that way. And they are every night. We needed more out of some guys.”
"Can't be Jordan Staal and Martinook being our best players, and they are every night"
Rod Brind'Amour didn't take it easy on his star players 😳 pic.twitter.com/mX5dA079XU
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 25, 2025
Absent from the scoresheet in the Game 3 loss were players like Andrei Svechnikov, Taylor Hall, Sebastian Aho, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. That’s not going to get it done at this time of year, especially with so much on the line in the postseason.
When asked about how the team is preparing for what could be the final game of their season, Brind’Amour said it’s simply a matter of putting their best foot forward.
“Well right now, I’m not even thinking about that, but yeah,” he said of Game 4. “We have to try and put our best foot forward. I felt like we did tonight for two periods. I was like, Alright,’ especially with what we were throwing out there. Missing some big pieces and we were hanging in there. But that’s the way we have to approach the game. We just can’t come off of it. You can’t even for a shift, think of playing a different way because that’s what’s going to happen.”
If the Hurricanes ultimately drop Game 4 against the Panthers, it will be their 16th straight loss in the Eastern Conference Final, dating back to their sweep against the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.
