Why Florida Panthers are ‘another animal’ compared to Hurricanes
Former NHLer Riley Cote explains that while he sees the Carolina Hurricanes as a strong, consistent team — the Florida Panthers are ‘just a different animal.’
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No Sam Reinhart, sitting out Game 3 after being injured in Game 2.
No Eetu Luostarinen, ejected in the first period for a boarding infraction.
A new look in the Carolina Hurricanes net with Pyotr Kochetkov getting the start.
It didn’t matter. The Florida Panthers improved to 3-0 against the Hurricanes after a 6-2 win on Saturday night. They have outscored Carolina 16-4 in the series and can earn their third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final on Monday with a win at home.
Kochetkov kept the game close as the teams entered the third period tied 1-1. But Jesper Boqvist, reinserted in the lineup after the Reinhart injury, broke the tie early in the third period and the Panthers poured in five consecutive goals.
Niko Mikkola and Aleksander Barkov each scored twice, and Brad Marchand also scored as the Panthers took advantage of turnovers.
Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov was minus-4, as was Alexander Nikishin, who played because of an injury to Sean Walker.
The only disadvantage for the Panthers: Mikkola left the game after going hard into the board.
Highlights from Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers:
The Hurricanes kept it a game for two periods and still got crushed. That’s 15 consecutive losses in the conference finals, dating to 2009. One more Carolina loss Monday night and the Panthers will return to the Stanley Cup Final for the third year in a row.
Andrei Svechnikov and Sam Bennett slash each other and also get misconducts. Then there’s another scrum and Florida’s A.J. Greer goes down the tunnel with an injury.
Matthew Tkachuk goes after Sebastian Aho, who had injured Sam Reinhart in Game 2. On the ensuing power play, Seth Jarvis scores 11 seconds in.
Brad Marchand scores as the Panthers pour it on.
The Panthers take advantage of another turnover. Aleksander Barkov’s pass attempt goes in off Shayne Gostisbehere’s stick.
The Panthers defenseman, who has two goals, goes hard into the boards and leaves the game.
‘Dmitry Orlov’s pass is stolen by Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov finishes off the play to give Florida two goals in 29 seconds. Orlov slams his stick in frustration. He’s minus-4 for the game.
Niko Mikkola scores his second goal of the game, jumping into the rush. The Hurricanes had hit the post not long before that while Sergei Bobrovsky was without his stick.
The Hurricanes kill off the penalty but turn over the puck in the neutral zone. Jesper Boqvist makes a great move around Dmitry Orlov before scoring on Pyotr Kochetkov. Tough night for Orlov, who had the first Panthers goal go off his skates. Boqvist is in the game because of an injury to Sam Reinhart.
Florida starts on the power play.
Much better period by the Hurricanes. After not connecting on their five-minute power play, they do score on their next one as Logan Stankoven ties the game. But Carolina will need to kill the remainder of a Panthers power play to start the third period.
They pin Carolina in their defensive zone and Sebastian Aho is called for holding Carter Verhaeghe. The power play will carry over into the third period.
Brent Burns takes a shot from the point and Logan Stankoven knocks in the rebound. The Hurricanes had a lot of movement on that power play before connecting.
Gustav Forsling puts the puck over the glass and is called for delay of game.
Near the end of the Eetu Luostarinen penalty, Carolina’s Jesperi Kotkaniemi is called for cross-checking. The Hurricanes kill it off.
Jackson Blake is back on the ice. Panthers still has to kill nearly two minutes of Eetu Luostarinen’s boarding major. No much going for Carolina and Florida gets a couple short-handed rushes.
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour started Pyotr Kochetkov in net to “change the vibes,” and the goalie has shined. The only shot that got past him went in off his defenseman. Still, the Hurricanes trail 1-0 in a must-win game.
We’ll have to see whether Carolina’s Jackson Blake can return after being slammed into the boards. Florida’s Eetu Luostarinen won’t. He receives a five-minute major and game misconduct for that hit. Carolina has two minutes left on the power play to start the second period.
They get a five-minute power play after an Eetu Luostarinen boarding penalty and game misconduct is confirmed on review. Hurricanes get a few shots, and about two minutes of the penalty will carry over to the second period.
Hurricanes forward Jackson Blake is slammed into the boards by Eetu Luostarinen and is down on the ice for several minutes before going off. Luostarinen is ejected for boarding.
Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola throws the puck to the front of the Hurricanes net and it goes in off the skate of Carolina defenseman Dmitry Orlov. The Panthers now have 14 goals from their defensemen.
Pyotr Kochetkov, who has been busy so far in net, is called for tripping Evan Rodrigues. Carolina kills it off, allowing only one shot.
He stops Sam Bennett in close, stops him later and scrambles later to keep the puck out of the net.
Panthers lead series 2-0.
It will be Florida’s Sam Bennett line vs. the Hurricanes’ Sebastian Aho line. Sergei Bobrovsky vs. Pyotr Kochetkov in net.
What time is Hurricanes vs. Panthers Game 3?
Game 3 of the Carolina Hurricanes-Florida Panthers series is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday in Sunrise, Florida.
How to watch Hurricanes vs. Panthers NHL playoff game: TV, streamTime: 8 p.m. ETLocation: Amerant Bank Arena (Sunrise, Florida)TV: TNT/truTVStream: Sling TV, Max
Stream Hurricanes vs. Panthers Game 3 on Sling
The Hurricanes defenseman was on the ice for warmups but is listed among the scratches on the NHL roster report. Rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin will be in the lineup.
#FlaPanthers lines for Game 3
Rodrigues – Barkov – Boqvist
Verhaeghe – Bennett – Tkachuk
Luostarinen – Lundell – Marchand
Greer – Nosek – Gadjovich
Forsling – Ekblad
Mikkola – Jones
Schmidt – Kulikov
Bobrovsky
Vanecek
— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) May 24, 2025
Chatfield will miss his fourth consecutive game with an undisclosed injury.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour said the defenseman is a game-time decision. Walker left Game 2 with an injury.
Hurricanes backup goalie Pyotr Kochetkov will get the Game 3 start against the Panthers.
“Just change the vibes a little bit,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Saturday morning. “I don’t blame Freddy for any of the goals that went in.”
Kochetkov played the third period of Game 2, giving up one goal on five shots after Andersen yielded four in the first two period.
Kochetkov, who had a 2.60 goals-against average during the regular season, won Game 5 in the first round, 5-4 in overtime against the New Jersey Devils, in his lone previous start when Andersen missed that game because of an injury.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Jesper Boqvist will play on the top line in Game 3 in place of injured Sam Reinhart.
Boqvist had already played with Aleksander Barkov on that line when Evan Rodrigues was hurt. Rodrigues has returned, so the top line for Game 3 is Barkov, Rodrigues and Boqvist.
“There’s a familiarity there that lets those guys just go and play,” Maurice said.
Boqvist signed as a free agent in July and had 12 goals and 23 points during the regular season. He also kills penalties and scored a short-handed goal. He has a goal and an assist in nine games this postseason.
Panthers forward Sam Reinhart won’t play in Game 3 and is day-to-day after being injured during the team’s 5-0 win in Game 2 against the Hurricanes.
Reinhart was sent flying by a Sebastian Aho hit during the first period of Thursday’s game and didn’t return because of a lower-body injury.
Reinhart plays on the top line with Aleksander Barkov and had 57 goals last season. He’s a finalist (along with Barkov) for the Selke Trophy as top defensive forward after finishing with five short-handed goals.