The Carolina Hurricanes could not overcome the Florida Panthers in Game 1 on Tuesday. The Panthers came out of the gate firing on all cylinders. Carolina — who played shorthanded without defenseman Jalen Chatfield — had no real answer. As a result, head coach Rod Brind'Amour watched his team fall 5-2 in Game 1.

Brind'Amour had to search for answers rather quickly following the loss. He spoke with the media immediately following the contest on Tuesday. The former Hurricanes player and current coach identified one area that made a difference. He pointed to the special teams output each team received in Game 1 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals.

“They play a heavy, hard game and they can score… We can't give them (the power play goals). It was two bad penalties we took, really, that we didn't need to take, that they end up scoring on,” Brind'Amour said, via Hurricanes beat writer Walt Ruff.

Hurricanes' East Final losing streak continues

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The Hurricanes reached the summit of the NHL back in 2006. They won the Stanley Cup, taking the Edmonton Oilers down in seven games. However, this is as close to the Stanley Cup Final as they have come since. The Hurricanes have lost 13 straight games in the Eastern Conference Finals, including Game 1 on Tuesday night against the Panthers.

This losing streak began back in 2009 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sidney Crosby and company swept Carolina en route to defeating the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final. Carolina did not return to the East Final for another 10 years, when they lost to the Boston Bruins in 2019. Finally, in 2023, they were swept by the Panthers.

Brind'Amour has done an unbelievable job in getting the Hurricanes to this point. However, there is still another step they need to take. It starts with ending this losing streak, though. And they can do that on Thursday night when Carolina hosts the Panthers for Game 2.