Hurricanes determined to 'stick to our guns,' extend season again in Game 5 of East Final

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes believe they have the recipe to extend their season again in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers at Lenovo Center on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, CBC).

"Scoring first just really seems to be the key," Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said Tuesday. "Not that if you get behind, you can't come back. But the way both teams are checking for their chances, there's not a lot of great opportunities. Getting out of that first period level, we're OK; we're not having to chase the game. That was the difference for me."

Carolina is 6-0 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs when scoring the first goal. In its season-saving 3-0 victory in Game 4 on Monday, forward Logan Stankoven gave them their first lead of the series off a pass from defenseman Alexander Nikishin at 10:45 of the second period. Forwards Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal each scored an empty-net goal to seal the win.

But the Hurricanes don't view Game 4 as a revelation. It was more of the same, just with a better result.

They'll try to replicate that formula Wednesday.

"We've matured a lot over the four years I've been here," forward Seth Jarvis said. "When we have a lead, we're comfortable with how we're playing. We don't really change anything. We know teams are going to push, but we stick to our guns. That's one big difference I've seen this year compared to years past."

Brind'Amour said he saw the same improvement.

"When both teams are playing a pressure game, there's going to be turnovers; that's the whole point of it," he said. "We had less of those, less of the ones that turned into something. There were some. There's going to be every game. It's just limiting those the best you can. I thought we did a better job of that.

"It's kind of been there every game. It's just the consistency part of it, sticking with it."

The win Monday was Carolina's first in the conference final since June 1, 2006. The Hurricanes were swept by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, the Boston Bruins in 2019 and the Panthers in 2023.

No team ever has overcome a 3-0 series deficit in a conference final, but the Hurricanes don't intend to go away quietly.

"What, are you going to try harder?" Brind'Amour said. "I think it frees you up more to know that there is no tomorrow. You have to do everything you can. I don't think it really changes whether you're up three or down three. Everybody is trying their hardest, and everybody wants to win that next game."

Carolina will once again be without defensemen Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker, who each have undisclosed injuries. Chatfield has yet to play in this series; Walker has missed the past two games. They have been replaced by rookies Nikishin and Scott Morrow.

Chatfield has one goal and is plus-6 in nine games this postseason while averaging 20:24 of ice time. Walker has three points (one goal, two assists) in 12 games, averaging 18:24 of ice time.

Brind'Amour said Wednesday they are not yet skating with the team and until they do, they are not options.

The Hurricanes also will be back home, where they were 5-0 through the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, defeating the New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals each in five games. They were outscored 10-2 by the Panthers in losing the first two games of the conference final.

"It goes back to finding the recipe that we found last game," forward Jordan Martinook said. "Play with the compete. Every guy was focused on winning the 50/50 puck battles, trying to do everything you can to win. Obviously when your back's up against the wall, you need to do that a lot more than the other team."