Subscribe
Follow Us
The Carolina Hurricanes lost Game 5 to the Florida Panthers and have been officially eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After losing yet another Stanley Cup Playoff series to the Florida Panthers, who is to blame for the Hurricanes?
The series did not start so well for the Hurricanes. Unfortunately, they endured two straight blowout losses to the Panthers at the Lenovo Center, including a 5-0 shutout loss in Game 2. It just was not a good start for the Hurricanes, and there were many people to point the finger at. Overall, the Canes simply did not step up when they needed to.
The Hurricanes made numerous mistakes in Game 3, putting them in a 3-0 hole. Ultimately, they were unable to rally back, despite winning Game 4, and lost the series in five games. The Panthers simply outmatched the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, and almost never let up. Now, the Canes are left scratching their heads, and there are several players who share the blame.
Frederik Andersen
It got so bad for Frederik Andersen that the Canes actually benched him in Game 3, opting for goalie Pyotr Kochetkov. When that did not work, the Canes turned back to Andersen. Yes, he pitched a shutout in Game 4. But Game 5 did not go so well for him. Andersen finished with an .806 save percentage in his four Eastern Conference Final games.
Andersen was having a solid run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, finishing with an 8-2 record, a 2.02 goals-against average, and a .906 save percentage over 13 games. Yet, it was the Panthers that tripped him up, also bringing up questions about the team's goaltending. Consider the fact that Andersen allowed five goals on 20 shots in Game 1, and four goals on 16 shots in Game 2, highlighting that goaltending was a huge issue.
Game 5 was the final stroke, as Andersen somehow allowed two goals in a span of one minute in the second period to blow a 2-0 lead. After being in serious talks with John Gibson earlier this season, this series reminded everyone why that conversation had taken place. Andersen wilted under the pressure of the Panthers and the Eastern Conference Final.
Taylor Hall
Taylor Hall was supposed to be the depth guy to help the Hurricanes get over the edge. Unfortunately, the former first overall pick was a no-show, especially in Game 5 when he failed to register a point.
Article Continues Below
The Hurricanes had just extended Hall to a new contract, and it seemed like he was poised to be one of their better depth guys. Significantly, he had two goals and four assists through the first 10 playoff games, and it looked like he was doing his job well. Then, the Eastern Conference Final began, and he went missing.
Hall started the series with a plus/minus of -1 in Games 1 and 2 while failing to score a point. Then, he registered an ugly plus/minus of -4 in Game 3. While he fired two shots in Game 4, he had zero in the decisive game. Hall was unable to even be a threat, which is unheard of for a second-line player.
Hall was once a great player with unlimited potential. However, his failure to register a point in the Eastern Conference Final proved to be incredibly damaging for a Canes team that needed scoring badly. Because of that, Hall was one of the main reasons why the Hurricanes ultimately faltered in this series against the Panthers.
Logan Stankoven
While Logan Stankoven had a great Game 4, he took a long time to get there. Ultimately, the rookie center was inconsistent throughout the Eastern Conference Final. It all started with poor performances in Games 1 and 2. He did not score a point and had a plus/minus mark of -1 in each game.
Stankoven finally came alive in Game 3, scoring a goal and an assist. Then, he added a goal in Game 4. But he went quiet again in Game 5, not registering a single shot and also putting a plus/minus of -1. Look, it's tough to blame a rookie for a team's failures. But the Hurricanes traded Mikko Rantanen to the Stars in the deal that brought him over to Carolina. For that value, Stankoven should have been more of a player in this series. Instead, he floundered when the Canes needed him the most.
The upside here is that Stankoven showed what he could do when he was firing on all cylinders. Unfortunately, the Hurricanes will have to wait until next season to see that upside pay off. For now, Stankoven shares the blame as the Hurricanes have endured another elimination and an offseason filled with more questions.
