Can Hurricanes still win their series with the Panthers? Canes’ Aho: ‘Hundred percent.’
Sebastian Aho stood in the middle of the Carolina Hurricanes locker room Monday, hands on hips, eyes straight ahead when the question was posed.
In short, do the Canes have the ability to win four straight games against the Florida Panthers?
“Hundred percent,” Aho said.
As if to emphasize the point, Aho said it again: “Hundred percent.”
That’s now what it will take for Carolina to win the Eastern Conference Final and keep their Stanley Cup hopes alive. The Panthers, again riding the brilliant goaltending of Sergei Bobrovsky, took a 1-0 victory in Game 3 to push their advantage in the series to 3-0.
The Canes, in the first game of the series at FLA Alive Arena, played their best game of the series. Other than one penalty-killing slip when the Panthers’ Sam Reinhart scored in the second period, they controlled the puck, created offensive chances, minimized the Panthers’ chances and got a strong game in net from their goalie, Frederik Andersen.
“But if you don’t score any goals, you can’t win any hockey games,” Aho said. “It’s as simple as that.”
True enough. And Bobrovsky isn’t letting many go past him. It’s as simple as that.
In Game 3, Bobrovsky stopped all 32 shots that came his way for his first shutout of what has become a remarkable postseason run in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“Every single game this series has been a one-goal game, and we’ve been right there and easily could have won all of them,” Aho said. “Obviously we haven’t won any of them, but the confidence is there. I think the way we play, we can beat them. But at the same time, we’ve got to find a way to score more goals.
“Any team still playing has gone through some adversity, and we’re no different. We had to go through a lot to get to this point. We’re a confident team. The series is not over. We’ll bounce back.”
Aho wanted to be the Canes’ driver Monday. That was evident from the start. He had some jump in his game, ignored some ugly hits by the Panthers and managed to be an offensive threat.
In the second period, Aho had a sharp shot that Bobrovsky warded off with his right arm. Another Aho shot banged off Bobrovsky’s helmet.
“Most of them go in,” Aho said. “Didn’t go in this time.”
Time is running short on the Hurricanes. The Panthers, the eighth playoff seed in the East, still need that fourth win to reach the Stanley Cup Final and have Game 4 at home, but there’s the matter of getting it done.
The Panthers also may have to get it done without their captain, center Aleksander Barkov. After taking a clean hit from the Canes’ Jack Drury, Barkov left with a lower-body injury, having played fewer than four minutes, and did not return.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice did not have an update on Barkov’s status after the game.
The Canes were left both frustrated and angry. Jesperi Kotkaniemi was caught on camera madly smashing his stick on the way to the room after the game.
“We’ve been grinding all year,” Canes captain Jordan Staal said. “If we continue to push and continue to play like that, something will crack.”
In an odd twist, the Panthers apparently scored an empty-net goal late in regulation for a 2-0 lead. But no. Apparently, the whistle had blown before the shot.
Why? Replays showed the Canes’ Shayne Gostisbehere being high-sticked. The Canes believed the whistle signaled a penalty being called. Instead, no penalty was called, the puck was dropped and play continued.
Jordan Martinook, an alternate captain for the Canes, tried to get an explanation from a referee. Apparently, play was stopped for an injury and not a high-sticking call.
“He didn’t see it,” Martinook said. “I don’t know. He should be watching where .. I’m probably going to get fined if I say that, so I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour seemed perplexed by the no-call.
“I thought he called it. He stopped the play,” Brind’Amour said. “Whatever. That’s not the difference. We’ve got to get more than one anyway.”
Goals and games. Or else.
This story was originally published May 23, 2023 at 6:30 AM.
