NHL news: Hurricanes avoid sweep, shut out Panthers to stay alive

The Carolina Hurricanes staved off elimination and avoided being swept as they defeated the Florida Panthers 3-0 on Monday night in Amerant Bank Arena.

With the win, the Hurricanes now trail the Panthers 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. The Hurricanes had lost their prior 15 Eastern Conference Final games before Monday’s win. 

They were swept in 2009, 2019 and 2023, and they dropped the first three games of this matchup against the Panthers. 

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Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, #31, and defenseman Brent Burns, #8, celebrate at the end of the third period in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals against the Florida Panthers on Monday, May 26, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Logan Stankoven gave the Hurricanes their first lead of the series when he buried a wrist shot past Panthers’ goalie Sergei Bobrovsky about midway through the second period. 

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

“It all 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 center Jesper Boqvist, #70, go after the puck during the second period in Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 26, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Hurricanes goalie Frederik Anderson started Games 1 and 2 and was pulled in favor of Pyotr Kochetkov for Game 3. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour went back to Anderson for Game 4, and the goalie stopped all 20 of the shots he faced.

“There were some real tough shots that looked easy tonight,” Brind’Amour said of Anderson. “That’s when you know he’s really on.”

The Hurricanes sealed their victory with a pair of empty-net goals at the end of the game, as Sebastian Aho and Jordan Stall scored to secure the win in the waning minutes of the third period. 

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Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen, #31, deflects a shot on goal during the second period in Game 4 of the NHL Hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals against the Florida Panthers on Monday, May 26, 2025 in Sunrise, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

“Credit to them … they were good,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.

The Panthers were short-handed in the loss, as Sam Reinhart, Nike Mikkola and AJ Greer all did not play. 

The Panthers will have another chance to clinch and move on to the Stanley Cup Finals when they take on the Hurricanes in Game 5 on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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