‘Frustrated’ Hurricanes face 3-0 hole after shutout
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Kristen Shilton, ESPN NHL reporter
SUNRISE, Fla. — The Carolina Hurricanes are on the ropes after dropping Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Florida Panthers 1-0 on Monday.
A sensational 32-save performance from Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky — in the first postseason shutout of his career — did most of the damage in Carolina’s loss, which put the Hurricanes in a 3-0 hole. Still, the defeat didn’t come without some controversy.
The Hurricanes trailed 1-0 late in the third period when forward Sam Reinhart — who scored the game’s only goal on a second-period power play — appeared to high stick Carolina defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere in the face. That was right before Panthers defenseman Marc Staal put a puck in Carolina’s empty net that would have given the Panthers a 2-0 lead with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.
Upon review, it was judged that a whistle blew before Staal’s shot entered the net, but there was no penalty assessed on Reinhart for the play on Gostisbehere. Play continued, and Carolina ultimately recorded its third straight loss.
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said after the game he wasn’t thrilled with the lack of a call going in Carolina’s favor.
“It’s tough for me. I could go on all day on that,” he said. “We got [called for] three knickknack penalties on sticks to the hand. … Especially when they stop the play [after Gostisbehere was hit]. I don’t understand that. You stop it because you saw a high stick. Why are you stopping the play then? I don’t know. No explanation, just move on.”
That’s all the Hurricanes can do. Brind’Amour lamented that Carolina didn’t convert its lone power play of the game, and its general struggles scoring on Bobrovsky in the series. Through three games, Hurricanes forwards have failed to produce one even-strength goal, and Carolina has been outscored 6-3.
“How are you not frustrated?” Brind’Amour said. “There’s times when you lose and you’re frustrated because you got beat, but if feels like we’re losing but we’re not really getting beat, and that’s where it gets frustrating.”
Florida has now won 10 of its past 11 playoff games and can advance to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Final since 1996 with a win over Carolina in Game 4 on Wednesday.
The Panthers came through with Monday’s victory despite being short-handed. Captain Aleksander Barkov left with 7:04 to play in the first period after what looked like an innocuous hip check from Hurricanes forward Jack Drury. He was ruled questionable to return with a lower-body injury.
Florida coach Paul Maurice provided no update on Barkov’s status after the game.
Losing Barkov would pose a challenge. The team’s top center had four goals and 12 points in 14 postseason tilts before Game 3. The All-Star is also one of the Panthers’ best faceoff forwards. He had two goals and an assist in the first two games against Carolina.
In Barkov’s absence, Eetu Luostarinen moved up to center Florida’s top line. The Panthers had trouble generating much offense in the second and third periods, putting only 17 shots total — and seven through the final 40 minutes — on Carolina netminder Frederik Andersen and going 1-for-4 on their power-play chances.
If Bobrovsky continues to stone Carolina the way he has, though, it might not matter how the Panthers line up offensively. Bobrovsky has a .978 save percentage in the series thus far, and it will take a full team effort from Carolina in Game 4 on Wednesday to stay alive and take the matchup back to the Canes’ home ice.
“It’s been three games,” Brind’Amour said. “You can’t do much more. We like how we’re playing, clearly. It’s just we’ve got to find a way to put one in.”
College football‘s spring transfer portal period opens Wednesday and runs through Friday, April 25.
More than 2,200 players have elected to transfer this offseason. This period is the last chance for underclassmen to switch teams before the start of the 2025 season and for schools to bolster their roster.
The biggest news of the spring period happened this past weekend when Tennessee parted ways with quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The former four-star recruit, who threw 19 touchdown passes in 2024, was seeking an increase in his NIL package. He is now looking for a new home.
With players officially able to enter their names in the portal, we’re tracking all the latest news and developments.
Transfer portal coverage:
Best available player rankings
What to expect
Kenni Burns was fired as Kent State‘s football head coach for multiple violations of his contract, including how he used a personal credit card.
Kent State did not provide details on why Burns was fired last Friday, but a copy of Burns’ dismissal letter was obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request.
University president Todd A. Diacon outlined five reasons for cause for Burns’ firing, with the first being “significant, repetitive, and intentional violation (or a pattern of conduct which may constitute or lead to a major violation), as determined by Kent State University after appropriate investigation, of the University’s policies and procedures regarding your P-card (personal card) expenditures.”
Burns was sued last September by Hometown Bank in Kent, Ohio, for $23,852.09 plus interest in unpaid credit card purchases, which exceeded the credit limit of $20,000. Burns did not make minimum monthly payments on the card and was 60 days past due in August, according to a Portage County Court of Common Pleas document.
The case was dismissed a couple months later when Burns made payment.
Burns was put on administrative leave with pay on March 27, a couple of days before the Golden Flashes began spring practices. Athletic director Randale Richmond said in the letter to Burns that he was being investigated for committing deliberate or serious violations of policies outlined by the university.
“My family and I are saddened by the news today,” Burns posted on social media after he was fired. “We are thankful for the relationships and connections we have made with the players, coaches, and staff over the past few years. The team bond we have is not transactional but that of a family. Kent G.R.I.T. will bind us forever, and for that I am thankful. I am proud of you all, and we will be rooting for you this season and beyond.”
Calls and emails by The Associated Press to Lee Hutton III, Burns’ attorney, have not been returned.
Burns was 1-23 in two seasons at Kent State. The team went 0-12 last season, the fifth winless season in school history. Before arriving at Kent State, Burns was the running backs coach at Minnesota.
Offensive coordinator Mark Carney will serve as the interim coach for the upcoming season with a national search taking place at the end of the year.
Kent State opens its season on Aug. 30 against Merrimack, a Football Championship Subdivision foe.
The Golden Flashes schedule gets more difficult after that, including road games against Texas Tech (Sept. 6), Florida State (Sept. 20) and Oklahoma (Oct. 4).
MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin offensive tackle Kevin Heywood is expected to miss all of the upcoming season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in spring practice.
Heywood, the Badgers’ projected starter at left tackle, hurt his knee in practice Thursday. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell revealed the severity of the injury on Tuesday.
“That was one that’s going to be really difficult and tough, but it’s also part of the game,” Fickell said. “We’ve been fortunate up front in the last two seasons to have those guys prepared and be able to last through the season. Now we’re going to have to figure out how we’re going to manage some of that and move some other guys around and expect some other guys to step up, whether it’s Leyton Nelson, an Emerson Mandell, guys like that have got to step in.”
Wisconsin had benefited from remarkable stability on its offensive line during the first two years of Fickell’s tenure.
The Badgers had the same starting offensive line for each of its 12 games last year, with Jack Nelson at left tackle, Joe Brunner at left guard, Jake Renfro at center, Joe Huber at right guard and Riley Mahlman at right tackle. Brunner, Renfro and Mahlman are back this year.
Wisconsin also had the same starting offensive line for all 12 of its regular-season games in 2023, with Nelson at left tackle, Huber at left guard, Tanor Bortolini at center, Michael Furtney at right guard and Mahlman at right tackle. The only change that season came in the ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU, with Renfro getting to start after missing the entire regular season with an injury to his lower left leg.
Heywood was expected to take over this season for Nelson, who had started at left tackle each of the last three years. Heywood had participated in all 12 games for Wisconsin last year while playing special teams and making occasional appearances on offense.
His injury represents a setback for a Wisconsin team seeking to bounce back after its streak of 22 consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances ended last year. The Badgers finished 5-7 last season and lost their final five games.
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