3 Keys for Hurricanes to Win Game 3

It’s do-or-die time for the Carolina Hurricanes as Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final (ECF) is a must-win to avoid going down 3-0 in the series. Thankfully for the Hurricanes, they have won three times on the road during the 2025 NHL Playoffs. Two of those wins came in Round 2 against the Washington Capitals in Game 1 and the series winner in Game 5. However, this will be their toughest test yet, as the Florida Panthers outscored them 10-2 at home in Raleigh. On the flip side, the Panthers have been a better road team than at home, so there is a chance for the Hurricanes to steal at least one on the road in Sunrise, Florida. The ideal scenario is to win both games in South Florida, but right now it’s one game, one period, one shift at a time for head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s team. If they can at least win Game 3 on Saturday night (May 24), they are back in the series and on the right foot.

That being said, what are the three keys to winning Game 3 and not falling behind 3-0?

Key #1: Stick to YOUR System

It’s been evident that the Hurricanes have not played their system to what was shown through the first two rounds of the 2025 NHL Playoffs. They dispatched the New Jersey Devils and the Capitals in five games in their respective rounds. However, it seems that the Panthers, who play a similar style, have taken the Hurricanes out of their game. It feels like the Hurricanes are trying too hard to rely on individual skill rather than playing the system that got them to the ECF in the first place. Brind’Amour mentioned it following their Game 2, 5-0 shutout loss.

“Obviously, we’ve got to just figure out how to win a period. I think we came out with the right intentions, but it was trying to do too much and then we’re not doing the things as a team that normally help us. I didn’t know what I was watching in the first period and that didn’t go well. The margin here is so tight. We’re not going to beat this [team] if we’re not on the same page. And tonight, for whatever the reason, like I said [we weren’t]. Intentions were good, everyone’s trying, ‘Okay, I’m going to do this,’ but that’s not how we do it and it just backfired.”

It all comes down to going back to simplicity and relying on the system that got you there. The Hurricanes are known to be a team that smothers their opponent in all zones of the ice. Their true facet to their game is being a 200-foot north-south, east-west team who hound for the puck at all times. Also, their relentless pursuit of the puck wears teams down because they’re always in 50/50 battles along the boards and all over the ice. That high-intensity, high-motor, cardiovascular pursuit to skate others into oblivion has been their m.o. for as long as Brind’Amour has been head coach. To win Game 3, the Hurricanes have to reset themselves on the foundation of their style of play and execute it.

Taylor Hall said it perfectly postgame on Thursday night (May 22), stating, “They just went seven games against the Leafs, right? They’re not a perfect hockey team. We know that there’s areas to exploit, like any team. They’re exploiting our weaknesses, obviously. We have to play our game. And if we lose doing that, then sure, but I don’t know the expression, you’ve got to dance with the girl you brought. You’ve got to play your game.”

Hall said what needed to be said, you have to play your game. You know what got you there, don’t overthink it and play a style that isn’t how you play. The Hurricanes have played more of a “hit everything that moves” mentality instead of structured defense, transitional play, dump-and-chase, and relentlessness. The Panthers have neutralized the Hurricanes’ approach, and for Carolina, they have to reset their mentality and process of playing the game. It’s time to get back to the basics of Hurricanes hockey. Once they do, they can impose their will like they did in the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Key #2: Don’t Overthink and Pass, Just Shoot

What hindered the Hurricanes in Game 2 was only having seven shots through the first two periods. For a team that’s known for high-volume shooting, to finish with 17 total shots is unheard of for a Brind’Amour-led squad. In Game 1, the Hurricanes had 33 shots with almost 80 shot attempts. There were times in Game 2 that the Hurricanes were overthinking and passing rather than shooting. There was an instance in which Sebastian Aho had a 2-on-1 chance and tried to pass to a teammate rather than taking a shot. While passing is fine, it’s also fine to be a little selfish when it comes to putting the puck on the net. He only had one shot in Game 2, while his linemates of Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis combined for zero. In the playoffs, especially in the ECF, pucks have to be put on the net. Usually, when you put the puck on the net, good things happen.