May 15, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) reaches for the puck as Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns (8) defends in the third period in game five of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke Imagn Images
Washington Capitals coach Spencer Carbery has some first-hand advice about the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes eliminated Carbery’s team Thursday from the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Canes did it in five games, closing out the second-round series with a 3-1 victory at Capital One Arena.
“Carolina is one heck of an opponent,” Carbery said. “They are a handful and you can tell, too, they’ve learned now how to win at this time of year. They don’t get rattled. The game stays tight and could go either way, but you can just tell the experience and calmness of their group.
“Over the length of the five games of this series, they showed the quality of team that they are.”
None of that will come as a surprise to Maurice. He once coached the Hurricanes, bringing Rod Brind’Amour onto his staff in 2011 after Brind’Amour retired as a player. He has watched as Brind’Amour has become one of the league’s best head coaches, making the Canes relevant again in the NHL, and a perennial playoff contender.
Two years ago, the Panthers and Hurricanes went head-to-head in the Eastern Conference final and the Panthers emerged with a four-game sweep in a tightly played series. The first game went four overtimes — a memorable if grueling marathon — and all four games were decided by one goal.
The Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice leaves the ice as Aaron Ekblad (5) and Aleksander Barkov (16) celebrate their 3-2 victory in four overtimes over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday, May 19, 2023 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Last year, the Panthers won the Stanley Cup, allowing Maurice to finally lift the Cup and enjoy his career-defining moment as a coach.
So here we are again, the Canes and Panthers.
Florida will make its third consecutive appearance in the conference final after taking care of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round with a Game 7 victory on Sunday.
The Canes, with the home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven series, will host Game 1 on Tuesday and Game 2 on Thursday at Lenovo Center before the series shifts to Florida for the next two games. All games will have an 8 p.m. start.
Some things to know before the series gets started:
‘Svech’ on a heater
Andrei Svechnikov did not play against the Panthers in the 2023 playoffs as the Canes’ power forward rehabbed from ACL surgery for an injury sustained in March of that year.
The Panthers might see the best of Svechnikov this time. The Russian winger, now 25, has found the net eight times in 10 playoff games — only Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars has more goals, with nine.
Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) skates against Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Roy in the first period during Game 3 of their series on Saturday, May 10, 2025 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Yes, that Mikko Rantanen, the forward the Canes traded for this season then moved on to the Stars when it quickly was apparent he was unhappy and disgruntled in Carolina.
Svechnikov had four goals in each series against the Devils and then the Caps. He notched his second postseason hat trick against New Jersey and has had several other attempts hit the crossbar and posts.
“He’s been great,” Canes captain Jordan Staal said Thursday. “He’s been on it every night, shooting the puck, being physical, being hard to play against and being the playoff player that we know he is.”
Defense and more defense
Getting good shots against the Canes proved to be problematic for the Caps. Too problematic.
Washington averaged 19 shots a game in the series and never had more than 21 in a game. While the margin of high-danger scoring chances was closer, Canes goalie Frederik Andersen was on his game and the defense in front of him was quick to pucks and the gaps kept tight.
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker (26) congratulates goalie Frederik Andersen (31) as they celebrate their 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals in Game 4 of their series on Monday, May 12, 2025 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C.
“It was suffocating,” Carbery said. “There was no space and guys could barely get shots off in that series. We have multiple guys that were sitting at two or three shots in five games who had 30 goals in the regular season.
“They make it really, really challenging on you. They check well, their sticks are good, they skate.”
Before Svechnikov scored the go-ahead goal late in the third period Thursday for a 2-1 lead, Canes defenseman Sean Walker got his stick on a shot by the Caps’ Alexander Ovechkin. The Canes soon had the puck and were off in transition as Walker got it to Svechnikov for a sharp-angle shot.
Dealing with ‘Slavo’
Those who know Canes defenseman Jaccob Slavin realize he isn’t a man driven by personal redemption or any kind of revenge motive. That’s not his nature.
But Slavin does remember the 2023 conference final against Florida and especially how it ended, for him and his team.
Early in Game 4 of the series in Sunrise, Florida, Slavin took a big hit from Sam Bennett of the Panthers behind the Carolina net as he played the puck. Slavin left with a concussion and did not return as the Canes lost the elimination game, 4-3.
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) covers the puck, as teammate Brent Burns (8) looses his helmet as they assist Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen (31) on a scoring attempt by the New Jersey Devils in the second period during game two of their Stanley Cup playoff series on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
The guy they call “Slavo” is back. While he has faced the Panthers in regular-season games since that night in Sunrise — the Canes were 1-2-0 against Florida this season; outscored 12-3 in the two losses — this will be the first in the playoffs.
Many of those who watched Team USA play in the 4 Nations Face-Off event this season came away saying Slavin was the team MVP. Playing with Slavin was Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk, who won the four OT thriller in 2023 and then followed with another overtime winner in Game 2 in Raleigh.
Carbery, for one, was impressed with Slavin in the playoff series and quick to mention him Thursday night after Game 5
“How he’s not in the Norris Trophy conversation every single year, it doesn’t seem right,” Carbery said, noting the NHL annual award for best defensive player.
Some familiar faces
Does familiarity breed contempt? In hockey, it can.
Will it between the Canes and Panthers, given the 2023 conference final? We’ll see.
In addition to Slavin and Bennett, a lot of the same faces remain. On the Canes roster in Game 4 in 2023 were such players as Jordan Staal, Sebastian Aho. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Brent Burns, Shayne Gostisbehere and Jalen Chatfield. Among the Panthers: Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Aaron Ekblad and Gus Forsling.
It was Andersen in net for the Canes and Sergei Bobrovsky for Florida, just as it will be again.
Gone from the 2023 ECF is Eric Staal, once the Canes captain and then a member of the Panthers. Defenseman Marc Staal also was playing for Florida as the two could team up on their younger brother.
Now added to the Panthers: veteran forward Brad Marchand, after his March 7 trade from the Boston Bruins. The Canes have dealt with him before in the playoffs. There’s plenty of familiarity there.
History lesson
Remember the date: June 1, 2006.
That’s the last time the Hurricanes won a game in an Eastern Conference final, turning back the Buffalo Sabres 4-2 in Game 7 at what then was called the RBC Center — now Lenovo Center.
The winning goal was scored by Brind’Amour, then the Canes captain. Adding the fourth goal was Justin Williams, later the Hurricanes’ captain with Brind’Amour as head coach.
The Canes moved on to win the 2006 Stanley Cup against Edmonton in another seven-game series. Brind’Amour, then 35, finally got to raise the Cup.
Here’s the rub: The Hurricanes have reached the conference final three times since 2006 — in 2009, 2019 and 2023. They were swept in four games in all three series, first by Pittsburgh, then Boston and Florida in 2023.
That’s 12 straight losses. It’s something Brind’Amour may or may not bring up with his team, but will be hard to avoid. To play for the Cup again, it’s some past history the Canes must correct.
The News & Observer
919-829-8945
In more than 40 years at The N&O, Chip Alexander has covered the N.C. State, UNC, Duke and East Carolina beats, and now is in his 15th season on the Carolina Hurricanes beat. Alexander, who has won numerous writing awards at the state and national level, covered the Hurricanes’ move to North Carolina in 1997 and was a part of The N&O’s coverage of the Canes’ 2006 Stanley Cup run.