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Dave Hyde: No goals, but no trouble — Panthers still in control of series

Updated May 27, 2025, 4:10 a.m. by Dave Hyde 1 min read

SUNRISE There was Matthew Tkachuk coming back from two months off with two goals in Game 1 against Tampa Bay in a script too good to believe.

There was Brad Marchand scoring in overtime in Game 3 against Toronto when the season needed that, and that Game 7 that sent Toronto to the coldest of summers.There were the three opening games for the Florida Panthers against the Carolina Hurricanes in this Eastern Conference final, too, so full of drama and nastiness and easy wins.But Game 4 Monday night wont go down as something to remember these playoffs.

The night that couldve closed out Carolina, couldve sent the Panthers to a third consecutive Stanley Cup Final and couldve given them more than a week of rest and needed recovery never happened in a 3-0 loss to CarolinaWeve played some really good hockey, so we know we have it in us, Panthers center Aleksander Barkov said.

We just didnt have it (Monday).

Its our job to find it the next game.So, its on to Game 5 Wednesday in Carolina.

Thats all Monday night really meant.

The Panthers still have a 3-1 grip on the series, still need one more win to go to a third-straight Stanley Cup Final.We know theyre not going away, Carolina coach Rod BrindAmour said.

This isnt a blip on the radar for them.

We have to keep the hammer down and give ourselves a chance next game.The Panthers concern isnt so much this series as dealing with some key injuries.

Forward Sam Reinhart and defenseman Niko MIkkola are front-line players who were out Monday.

Reinhart has been out since taking a Game 2 hit on the knee from Carolinas Sebastian Aho and its easy to see how hes missed.The Panthers power play is 0-for-8 the past two games.Related ArticlesShort-handed Panthers fall to Hurricanes, who avoid conference final sweepHurricanes switch starting goalie again for Game 4 vs.

PanthersBlizzardgate: Did Panthers star Brad Marchand really have a Blizzard between periods of Game 3?Florida Panthers without three key contributors for Game 4 vs.

CarolinaDave Hyde: Panthers move one night from third straight Stanley Cup FinalOur power play is slightly disjointed, Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.

When you lose Sam Reinhart, hes a big piece of that.Sometimes, though, a night just comes down to the better game is on the other side.

Monday was one of the rare times its happened to the Panthers these playoffs.

Maurice went through the three series of these playoffs, remembering a bad Game 3 against Tampa Bay and a similar one in Game 6 against Toronto.Thats all he came up with as far as ones hed throw away.

So, Monday makes three such games in three series.

Maurice didnt even need to pull out actor and comedian Will Ferrell, Panic! line as he has in the past.

No one was panicking after one loss.Credit to them, Maurice said of Carolina.

I wasnt nearly down on (Carolina) as youd find over the last three games, and Im not down on my team tonight.Carolina played desperate in the manner they hadnt this series and teams possibly down to their final game often do.

It had the energy, the speed, the extra ounce of effort to tilt the ice their way much of the night.When Carolinas Logan Stankoven walked in from the wing and shot a dart by Sergei Bobrovsky midway through the second period it wasnt a surprise as much as overdue.

Carolina had some good chances to that point and Bobrovsky had stopped them.Through two periods, Carolina had 23 shots to the Panthers sparse 12.

You expected Panthers fans to take a chant from the playbook of Carolina fans in Game 2: Shoot the puck.

Carolina had shuffled its goalies again, too, putting Frederik Andersen back in the net after replacing him for Game 3.Carolina added two empty-net goals to make the score worse than the margin of play.We got one, and well go from there, Stankoven said.

Day by day.

You cant look too far ahead.

Weve got a long way to go.They go back to Carolina for Game 5.Its just another opportunity to get back to our game, which is great, because that wasnt our style of game tonight, Panthers center Sam Bennett said.

We were real slow.

Im sure were going to come out a lot better.This series needs ending for a Panthers team that needs some recovery time.

Wednesday is their next chance to do so.Florida Panthers fans Jim Byrne and his son, Tucker, both from Atlantis, Fla., show their signs before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Florida Panthers fan Jared Dubrow of Coral Springs shows his lucky golden rat before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) and Florida Panthers left wing Tomas Nosek (92) take to the ice before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) skates before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (20) and Florida Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis (26) battle during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) blocks a shot during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) and Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) battle behind the net during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) has his shot blocked by Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling (42) and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) defend a shot by Carolina Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis (24) during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Miami Dolphins' Zach Sieler reacts after pounding the drum during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (22) scores a second-period goal past Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns (8) and Florida Panthers center Carter Verhaeghe (23) battle during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

Burns was called for hooking on the play.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Florida Panthers center Jesper Boqvist (70) and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin (21) crash the boards during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice watches his team leave the ice after a 3-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (7) and Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (22) battle during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Florida Panthers center Evan Rodrigues (17) is upended by Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin (21) during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) is tripped by Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Carolina Hurricanes center Mark Jankowski (77) scores during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Carolina Hurricanes left wing Eric Robinson (50) and Florida Panthers defenseman Uvis Balinskis (26) battle during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Show Caption1 of 20Florida Panthers fans Jim Byrne and his son, Tucker, both from Atlantis, Fla., show their signs before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.

(Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)Expand.

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