The Carolina Hurricanes played one of their most entertaining games of the season as they thoroughly dominated the Stanley Cup Champion, Florida Panthers, 9-1 on Friday night at the Lenovo Center.
Nikolaj Ehlers had a hattrick, goaltender Brandon Bussi picked up another win, (17-3-1) and every Carolina forward had at least one point in the shellacking.
The Panthers were missing some key players due to injuries but this win has to help the Hurricanes get over the mental block which they seemed to have when they played this team.
The home team dominated the first period but skated into the dressing room with a slim 1-0 lead.
Ehlers scored the first goal off an absolutely beautiful no-look pass by Jordan Staal.
The Panthers tied the score early in the second period off an odd play but that would be it for the visitors.
Later in the period, Mark Jankowski knocked in a rebound off of a blast by Alexander Nikishin to make it 2-1.
A couple minutes later, Nikishin rocketed another shot during a powerplay that got by Bobrovsky to make it 3-1 and the Canes never looked back. The shot was clocked at 92 MPH.
Speaking of the powerplay, the team officially went 4 of 5 for the night and the penalty kill was perfect, 0-5.
In the previous two meetings against the Panthers, the Canes gave up multi-goal leads in the third period and ended up losing, but that was not happening on this night.
Andrei Svechnikov sniped another PP goal to start things off in the third. A bit later, Ehlers scored another powerplay tally, his second of the night.
Just 21 seconds later, Taylor Hall scored yet another powerplay goal to make it 6-1, but the Canes were not done yet.
Next up, Ehlers scored his third and the hats rained down upon the Lenovo Center ice.
Hall then scored again and 10 seconds later, Eric Robinson made it 9-1 and the celebrations started.
There were several heroes in this game and the team was physical throughout.
The Canes outshot the Panthers, 33-16. They outhit them 30-19 and were dominant in the faceoff circle winning 66% for the game.
Jordan Staal was finishing his checks from start to finish and was awarded six hits. Sean Walker was very physical in this one as well and also had a team high six hits.
Panther, Donovan Sebrango took exception to one heavy hit and went after Walker. The defenseman answered the bell as the two dropped the gloves until Walker took him down. According Cory Lavalette, it was Walker’s first career NHL fight.
It was the first game that Ehlers played on the same line with Staal and Martinook. After the game when asked about it, he said he was looking forward to it.
“The way they play, the way they battle and get pucks out, I knew I would get more space out there. And that is something I was looking for.”
Nikishin had one of his best games in the NHL with a goal and an assist.
I could on and on about this game but there is another one coming up soon enough as the Hurricanes traveled after this game to New Jersey, where they will play yet another back-to-back scenario.
Highlights –
Game Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/GS020750.HTM
Event Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/ES020750.HTM