A fresh face took the crease for the Carolina Hurricanes as Pyotr Kochetkov earned the starting goaltender role. Yet, despite the change, the Florida Panthers cruised to a dominant 6-2 victory on Saturday night, extending their perfect 3-0 record against Carolina in this series. Over the three games, Florida has outscored the Hurricanes 16-4, showcasing a relentless offensive onslaught. With one more win at home on Monday, the Panthers will secure their third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
Kochetkov did his best to keep Carolina competitive early on, as the score remained deadlocked at 1-1 entering the third period. However, Jesper Boqvist, back in the lineup following Sam Reinhart’s injury, broke the tie shortly after the final frame began. That goal opened the floodgates, and the Panthers unleashed a barrage of five unanswered goals in just over nine minutes, effectively sealing the game.
Niko Mikkola and Aleksander Barkov each netted two goals, while Brad Marchand also contributed, capitalizing heavily on Carolina’s mistakes. Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov had a rough night, finishing with a minus-4 rating. Frustrated after a costly turnover that led directly to a Barkov goal, Orlov slammed his stick against the ice. He was caught out of position on multiple occasions and even saw a puck deflect off his skates for a Florida goal.
“You can’t blame him for everything, but you certainly can’t win at this stage of the season making mistakes like that,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said after the loss.
The one glimmer of concern for the Panthers was Mikkola’s injury after a hard hit into the boards. Coach Paul Maurice remained optimistic postgame, saying, “We think he’s going to be OK.”
The physicality of the game was apparent from the start. A scuffle erupted between Andrei Svechnikov and Sam Bennett, both receiving misconduct penalties after exchanging slashes. Later, Florida’s A.J. Greer was forced off the ice with an injury, adding to the night’s intensity.
The Panthers’ aggressive style continued with Matthew Tkachuk targeting Sebastian Aho, who had been involved in Reinhart’s injury in Game 2. On the ensuing power play, Seth Jarvis wasted no time, scoring just 11 seconds in, setting the tone for Florida’s dominance.
Brad Marchand’s goal pushed the Panthers’ lead further, followed by Barkov taking advantage of yet another Hurricanes turnover—this time, a misdirected pass off Shayne Gostisbehere’s stick found the back of Carolina’s net.
Mikkola’s injury came as he charged hard into the boards after scoring twice, leaving the ice early in the third period. Despite his absence, the Panthers’ momentum never faltered.
A pivotal moment came when Orlov’s errant pass was stolen by Tkachuk, allowing Barkov to score within a blistering 29 seconds, doubling Florida’s advantage. Orlov’s frustration boiled over visibly as he slammed his stick down, the tough night clearly weighing on him.
Niko Mikkola’s second goal came off a well-timed rush, showcasing the Panthers’ depth. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes barely managed to hit the post earlier, with goalie Sergei Bobrovsky notably struggling without his stick.
Carolina’s penalty kill faltered early in the third period after Boqvist weaved skillfully past Orlov to score, tipping the balance firmly in Florida’s favor. Boqvist’s presence in the lineup was a direct result of Reinhart’s absence, and he made an immediate impact.
The second period had shown promise for the Hurricanes. After failing to capitalize on a five-minute power play, they finally tied the game on Logan Stankoven’s goal off a Brent Burns shot rebound. However, they would have to face the remainder of a Panthers power play to start the final frame—momentum firmly in Florida’s grasp.
The game started with heightened tensions: Hurricanes’ Jackson Blake was injured following a brutal boarding hit from Eetu Luostarinen, who was ejected with a major penalty and game misconduct. This gave Carolina a lengthy power play, though Florida’s penalty kill stood firm, even launching dangerous short-handed rushes.
Kochetkov shone in net early, making key saves and keeping the Hurricanes within striking distance. The lone goal allowed before the second period break came off an unfortunate deflection off Orlov’s skate, giving Florida a 1-0 lead.
Throughout the contest, Florida’s defensemen contributed heavily, with 14 goals now scored by Panthers blueliners in the series—an impressive stat that highlights their offensive depth.
As Game 3 closed, the Panthers held a commanding 3-0 series lead and looked poised to clinch a third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. Carolina, on the other hand, faced a daunting task trying to avoid their 15th consecutive conference final loss since 2009.
With the next faceoff set for Monday night in Florida, all eyes will be on whether the Hurricanes can shake off the Panthers’ momentum or if Florida will once again assert their dominance and advance toward the championship.
