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Hurricanes Left Speechless After Another ECF Loss

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt Levine | Last updated May 25, 2025 3:57 PM ET

The Carolina Hurricanes have had an Eastern Conference finals to forget. Once again, the Hurricanes are on the verge of being swept out of the round, and they really aren't sure what to do about it.

Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho didn't know what to say after the Florida Panthers scored five unanswered goals in the third period of Game 3, and the entire team was left wondering what had happened.

"I mean, I don't know what to say," Aho said. "Obviously, that's definitely not how you start the series or bounce back after a bad game."

The Panthers have outscored Carolina 16-4 through nine periods of this series. It has been a rough few games for the Hurricanes, but the team isn't giving up despite the heavy odds stacked against them.

"They've got to win four," Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said.

If the Hurricanes can just get one win, Game 5 would be played back at home, and they may be able to turn this into a series. Before this series with the Panthers, Carolina had gone undefeated at home in the postseason.

The Hurricanes have now lost 15 straight games in the Eastern Conference finals, being swept in each of their last three appearances.

“We were there, we were playing better and then we just turn pucks over — and that’s not what we do, no one does that,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “You can’t do that, can’t do it anytime. Do that in a preseason game, and it will cost you. That team? You turn it over for an odd-man rush and forget it. We know that. That was really demoralizing. We know the margin is tight.”

Carolina will now have one more chance to extend their season, with Game 4 being scheduled for Monday, May 26, at 8 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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