After a season that saw all the ups and downs for a team poised to make a deep playoff run, it took all 82 games for the Carolina Hurricanes to win their second-straight Metropolitan Division title. In an absolute barn burner, the Canes held onto their lead and took down the Florida Panthers 6-4 on Thursday, April 13.
The Hurricanes (52-21-9) finished the season with 113 points, the second-most points in a season in franchise history. Although both teams had already clinched a playoff spot before the game, each wanted the win to considerably improve their first-round matchups.
The Canes’ win earned them the opportunity to face the New York Islanders, who occupy the first Wild-Card spot rather than the formidable New York Rangers. If the Panthers (42-32-8) had been able to get a win, they would have dodged the Boston Bruins, who have accumulated the most points by a team in NHL history this season.
The first eight minutes of the first period saw back-and-forth chances for each team, but nothing got past Canes goaltender Frederik Andersen and Florida netminder Alex Lyon. Lyon had recently been on a six-game win streak prior to Florida’s loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the game before, and he has been instrumental in saving the Panthers’ season by pushing them into the playoffs. A bit of an NHL journeyman and AHL career goalie, Lyon has put his mark on this Florida team, and he looked to spoil the Canes’ season in this game.
With neither goalie giving an inch, it was scoreless until Canes defenseman Brent Burns ripped a shot from the blue line that deflected in off a Panthers player. This was Burns’ third goal in as many games, but he wasn’t done there. Later in the third period, Burns silenced the Panthers again for his second goal of the night.
The rest of the first period saw limited opportunities for the Hurricanes as the Panthers began to turn the heat up, but neither team’s efforts provided fruitful results. After a quiet first half of the season, second-line center Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been on fire in the second half, and about one minute into the second period, the Finn netted his 18th goal of the year, doubling Carolina’s lead.
After only two goals in the first two periods — both going the Canes’ way — the floodgates opened up in the third as the teams scored a combined eight goals in an exciting season finale.
Just over one minute into the final frame, Florida center Aleksander Barkov tallied the Panthers’ first goal off the zone entry, putting his team within one with plenty of time remaining. Once the Panthers smelled blood, they piled on the pressure in the offensive zone. Two minutes later, this pressure would cause Andersen to have another indecisive stick-handling mishap, leading to left wing Ryan Lomberg’s goal and a tie game.
After the Canes led the game for 30+ minutes, the Panthers struck twice in the blink of an eye, and all the momentum swung their way. But just when the game — and potentially the season — seemed like it was beginning to get out of hand, the veteran Burns put his money where his mouth was and scored his second of the night from almost the same spot as his first.
This quick bounce-back goal was doubled up immediately when right wing Jesper Fast reached the double-digit goals mark on the season just 20 seconds later. With under five minutes left, the Panthers found themselves on the power play, and being down two goals they pulled their goalie to create a 6-on-4 opportunity to give the team some life.
The Hurricanes’ elite penalty kill held off the Panthers for the full two minutes, and right out of the box, defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere stole the puck and scored on an empty net. Up three goals with under three minutes remaining, the game and division title seemed all but wrapped up, but the Panthers still had some left in the tank.
In the final two minutes, Florida scored two goals with the goalie pulled, suddenly putting this game within one as a miraculous comeback came into picture. The Canes just couldn’t get out of their own zone, and a tying goal seemed inevitable. But just when things looked most bleak, center Sebastian Aho barely managed to escape the zone and put the sixth and final dagger in the Florida Panthers.
The Hurricanes showed fortitude and an unwavering determination to get the win when they needed it most. After winning their last two games to hold onto first place in the Metro, the Canes look forward to the playoffs as they will take on the Islanders.
