Hurricanes stave off elimination with shutout win against Panthers in Eastern Conference finals

The Carolina Hurricanes staved disconnected elimination and avoided being swept arsenic they defeated the Florida Panthers 3-0 connected Monday nighttime successful Amerant Bank Arena.

With the win, the Hurricanes present way the Panthers 3-1 successful the best-of-seven series. The Hurricanes had mislaid their anterior 15 Eastern Conference Final games earlier Monday’s win. 

They were swept successful 2009, 2019 and 2023, and they dropped the archetypal 3 games of this matchup against the Panthers. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, #31, and defenseman Brent Burns, #8, observe astatine the extremity of the 3rd play successful Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals against the Florida Panthers connected Monday, May 26, 2025 successful Sunrise, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Logan Stankoven gave the Hurricanes their archetypal pb of the bid erstwhile helium buried a wrist changeable past Panthers’ goalie Sergei Bobrovsky astir midway done the 2nd period. 

Stankoven gave recognition to Alexander Nikishin, who acceptable him up with a cross-ice pass.

"It each starts with him," Stankoven said of Nikishin's pass. "Great play by him."

PANTHERS' BRAD MARCHAND LEANS INTO DESSERT DRAMA AS FLORIDA LOOKS TO ADVANCE TO STANLEY CUP FINAL

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin, #21, and Florida Panthers halfway Jesper Boqvist, #70, spell aft the puck during the 2nd play successful Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals connected Monday, May 26, 2025 successful Sunrise, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Hurricanes goalie Frederik Anderson started Games 1 and 2 and was pulled successful favour of Pyotr Kochetkov for Game 3. Head manager Rod Brind’Amour went backmost to Anderson for Game 4, and the goalie stopped each 20 of the shots helium faced.

"There were immoderate existent pugnacious shots that looked casual tonight," Brind'Amour said of Anderson. "That's erstwhile you cognize he's truly on."

The Hurricanes sealed their triumph with a brace of empty-net goals astatine the extremity of the game, arsenic Sebastian Aho and Jordan Stall scored to unafraid the triumph successful the waning minutes of the 3rd period. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, #31, deflects a changeable connected extremity during the 2nd play successful Game 4 of the NHL Hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals against the Florida Panthers connected Monday, May 26, 2025 successful Sunrise, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

"Credit to them ... they were good," Panthers manager Paul Maurice said.

The Panthers were short-handed successful the loss, arsenic Sam Reinhart, Nike Mikkola and AJ Greer each did not play. 

The Panthers volition person different accidental to clinch and determination connected to the Stanley Cup Finals erstwhile they instrumentality connected the Hurricanes successful Game 5 connected Wednesday astatine 8 p.m. ET astatine the Lenovo Center successful Raleigh, North Carolina. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.