‘At a loss’: Hurricanes seek to regroup down 2-0

Published

5 months ago

May 23, 2025

admin

Greg WyshynskiMay 23, 2025, 12:41 AM ET
Close

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes generate more shot attempts than any team in the NHL. So when their fans began chanting “shoot the puck!” during the second period of their 5-0 defeat in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals Thursday night, it felt both surreal and indicative of how the Florida Panthers had absolutely dominated them to earn a 2-0 series lead.

“Tonight was not great. We’re going to have to own a crappy game,” Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said.

After getting 33 shots on goalie Sergei Bobrovsky in Game 1, the Hurricanes generated only 17 shots, tied for third fewest in the franchise’s Stanley Cup playoff history. They had 78 shot attempts in Game 1. In Game 2, they generated only 53.

Though a ferocious Florida forecheck had a role in that shot suppression, Carolina winger Taylor Hall acknowledged that the Panthers injected some hesitancy in the Hurricanes’ offensive attack.

“We had chances to shoot. And we didn’t. I think we’re all a little bit at a loss,” Hall said. “When we look up at the shot clock and see [the total], that’s just not our game. That’s just not how we play. We generate offense by shooting pucks and getting them back, and then we draw a penalty or get a rebound. We generate momentum by doing that. And we just weren’t able to do it.”

The Panthers were relentless in Game 2, taking a 3-0 lead in the first period and never looking back.

“I didn’t know what I was watching in the first period. That didn’t go well,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We’re not going to beat this team if we’re not on the same page. The intentions were good. Everyone’s trying. But that’s not how we do it and it just backfired.”

The catalyst for that first-period deficit was Carolina winger Andrei Svechnikov, their leading goal scorer in the playoffs with eight. He was antagonized by the Panthers’ line of Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk.

The Panthers took a 1-0 lead just 1:17 into the game as the Bennett line created chaos in the attacking zone with a forecheck that forced a Svechnikov turnover. Defenseman Gustav Forsling slid into the slot and beat Frederik Andersen for his first of the playoffs.

Carolina is now 3-4 in the playoffs when it doesn’t score first, after going 17-23-3 in that situation in the regular season.

That same line created Florida’s second goal just over 10 minutes later. Again, the line threw the body on the forecheck. And again, it was Svechnikov coughing up the puck in his own end. Defenseman Niko Mikkola slid it behind the net to Verhaeghe, who noticed Carolina defenseman Dmitry Orlov was up the ice, creating a point-blank 2-on-1 with Tkachuk. Verhaeghe put the puck off Tkachuk’s skate for the 2-0 lead. It was Tkachuk’s first goal in 11 playoff games.

“It was an unreal start from us. The goals aside, just the way we played in the first period was as good as it gets. That’s just a hell of a road trip,” Tkachuk said.

The Bennett line then made the Hurricanes lose their cool again. Tkachuk delivered a reverse hit on Svechnikov, who then checked him along the boards. Tkachuk delivered a cross-check to his back. Svechnikov retaliated near the benches and was whistled for roughing. Just like in Game 1 when Sebastian Aho earned a roughing minor in retaliation to an Anton Lundell cross-check, the Panthers made Carolina pay with a Bennett power-play goal to make it 3-0.

Brind’Amour said before Game 2 that all it takes is one lapse in judgment caused by the Panthers’ agitation to hurt the Hurricanes. Svechnikov had that lapse in Game 2.

“He had a tough night. He’s trying, but you’ve got to be on the same page, and he was on his own page. It didn’t work,” Brind’Amour said of Svechnikov.

Bennett scored again with less than a minute to go in the second period, his ninth of the postseason. Aleksander Barkov‘s power-play goal in the third period — scored against Pyotr Kochetkov, who replaced Andersen — completed the rout.

Staal said the challenge for Carolina is to not have negative thoughts about its chances of beating Florida enter its process.

“This game is mental. It’s all about the brain and your focus and the thoughts that can creep in,” Staal said. “When you let those thoughts like that come in, it never looks good. I think we’ve got to believe in the group and what we have and what we’ve done all year and go steal one.”

Hall said it was important to remember that the Panthers aren’t invincible, despite taking the first two games in Carolina by a combined score of 10-2.

“I mean, they just went seven games against the Leafs, right? They’re not a perfect hockey team,” Hall said. “We know that there are areas to exploit, like any team. They’re exploiting our weaknesses, obviously.”

Game 3 is Saturday night in Sunrise. The Hurricanes have now lost 14 straight games in the Eastern Conference finals, the past six of them to the Panthers.

Brind’Amour said he was surprised there wasn’t more urgency in his team’s game, considering the circumstances.

“I didn’t feel like we were that intense for the moment that we needed. I felt like we were actually a little too casual,” he said.

Sports

Follow live: Blue Jays host Yankees in Game 2 of ALDS

Published

2 hours ago

October 5, 2025

admin

null

Sports

Brewers CF Chourio’s status uncertain for Game 2

Published

2 hours ago

October 5, 2025

admin

Brewers CF Chourio's status uncertain for Game 2

Jesse RogersOct 5, 2025, 04:41 PM ET
Close

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Brewers centerfielder Jackson Chourio‘s status for Game 2 of the NLDS against the Chicago Cubs on Monday is uncertain after an MRI on his right hamstring came back inconclusive, according to manager Pat Murphy.

Chourio, 21, left Game 1 on Saturday after legging out an infield hit in the bottom of the second inning. It’s the same hamstring he injured in July — also while playing against the Cubs — putting his immediate playing future in doubt.

“I can’t give you a definitive, but I know that we’re going to test some things today,” Murphy said on Sunday afternoon. “He’s going to be out there today. I don’t know that he’ll do much, but the MRI came back and it’s inconclusive and it’s not a serious hamstring strain, but it’s not necessarily something that won’t limit him.”

Chourio was 3 for 3 in the game before leaving. Murphy indicated rookie Isaac Collins would likely take Chourio’s place in the lineup if the latter player can’t go.

The Brewers manager also announced lefty Aaron Ashby will start Game 2 for his team, though he probably won’t last long after throwing 1⅓ innings on Saturday. He’s likely opening the game to help neutralize Cubs leadoff man Michael Busch — also a lefty — who homered to start Game 1.

“He could go as long as we want him to,” Murphy said of Ashby.

Righty Quinn Priester is likely the bulk innings guy for the Brewers after Ashby, but Murphy stopped short of declaring his plans. The Cubs are countering with lefty Shota Imanaga, who pitched in Game 2 of the wild-card round against the San Diego Padres.

“He’s a competitor,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “And I think he’s a thinking-man’s competitor, and he also pitches with a lot of joy on the mound, while competing at a really high level.”

Imanaga has a 5.73 ERA in four career games against the Brewers, including three starts this season.

“I think all the hitters, they understand what they need to do, and I think that’s the Brewers’ offense,” Imanaga said of his struggles against Milwaukee. “Even yesterday, just the next guy was up, the next guy was ready. So I think, for me, it’s just making sure, take it one out at a time, and then thinking about that one out.”

Murphy was asked about facing the second-year Cub who features a rising fastball and a sinking splitter.

“His heater plays way up,” Murphy said. “If it says 91, the hitter sees it as 95 to 96.”

Milwaukee won Game 1 in a route, 9-3.

Sports

AP Week 6 poll reaction: What’s next for each Top 25 team

Published

4 hours ago

October 5, 2025

admin

AP Week 6 poll reaction: What's next for each Top 25 team

Oct 5, 2025, 02:25 PM ET

The latest AP poll is out. Most ranked teams held steady. The Ohio State Buckeyes stayed atop the poll after a convincing win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, and the Miami Hurricanes bolstered their résumé with a win over the Florida State Seminoles. But both the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions and then No. 9 Texas Longhorns were stunned by unranked opponents. (UCLA and Florida, respectively.)

What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let’s break down the rankings.

Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.

All times Eastern.

Previous ranking: 1

2025 record: 5-0

Week 6 result: Defeated Minnesota 42-3

Stat to know: Ohio State has allowed 25 total points this season. That is the fewest points allowed through five games by a Big Ten team since 1985 Michigan.

What’s next: Saturday at Illinois, noon, Fox

Previous ranking: 3

2025 record: 5-0

Week 6 result: Defeated Florida State 28-22

Stat to know: Miami has three straight wins against AP-ranked opponents within a season for the first time since 2004.

What’s next: Oct. 17 vs. Louisville, 7 p.m.

Previous ranking: 2

2025 record: 5-0

Week 6 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday vs. Indiana, 3:30 p.m., CBS

Previous ranking: 4

2025 record: 5-0

Week 6 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday vs. Washington State, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network

Previous ranking: 6

2025 record: 5-0

Week 6 result: Defeated Mississippi State 31-9

Stat to know: This is Texas A&M’s first 5-0 start since 2016.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Florida, 7 p.m., ESPN

Previous ranking: 5

2025 record: 5-0

Week 6 result: Defeated Kent State 44-0

Stat to know: This was Oklahoma’s first shutout since its 2023 win over Arkansas State.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Texas (in Dallas), 3:30 p.m., ABC

Previous ranking: 8

2025 record: 5-0

Week 6 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday at Oregon, 3:30 p.m., CBS

Previous ranking: 10

2025 record: 4-1

Week 6 result: Defeated Vanderbilt 30-14

Stat to know: Kalen DeBoer is now 13-2 in matchups between two ranked teams.

What’s next: Saturday at Missouri, noon, ABC

Previous ranking: 11

2025 record: 5-0

Week 6 result: Defeated Houston 35-11

Stat to know: Texas Tech has now won five straight games by 20-plus points for first time since 1953-54.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Kansas, 7:30 p.m., Fox

Previous ranking: 12

2025 record: 4-1

Week 6 result: Defeated Kentucky 35-14

Stat to know: Georgia has a 16-game win streak against Kentucky.

What’s next: Saturday at Auburn, 7:30 p.m., ABC

Previous ranking: 13

2025 record: 4-1

Week 6 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday vs. South Carolina, 7:45 p.m., SEC Network

Previous ranking: 15

2025 record: 4-1

Week 6 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday vs. Arkansas, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network

Previous ranking: 17

2025 record: 5-0

Week 6 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday vs. Virginia Tech, 3:30 p.m., ACC Network

Previous ranking: 19

2025 record: 5-0

Week 6 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday vs. Alabama, noon, ABC

Previous ranking: 20

2025 record: 4-1

Week 6 result: Defeated Wisconsin 24-10

Stat to know: Michigan has now won consecutive games against Wisconsin for the first time since 2002.

What’s next: Saturday at USC, 7:30 p.m., NBC

Previous ranking: 21

2025 record: 3-2

Week 6 result: Defeated Boise State 28-7

Stat to know: Against Boise State, Notre Dame had four interceptions in a game for the first time since 2023.

What’s next: Saturday vs. NC State, 3:30 p.m., Peacock

Previous ranking: 22

2025 record: 5-1

Week 6 result: Defeated Purdue 42-27

Stat to know: Illinois has now won consecutive games against Purdue for the first time since 2001-02.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Ohio State, noon, Fox

Previous ranking: 23

2025 record: 5-0

Week 6 result: Defeated West Virginia 38-24

Stat to know: BYU has started 5-0 for the sixth time in program history.

What’s next: Saturday at Arizona, 8 p.m., ESPN2

Previous ranking: 24

2025 record: 5-1

Week 6 result: Defeated Louisville 30-27 (OT)

Stat to know: The win over Louisville is Virginia’s second straight overtime win. Virginia had never won multiple overtime games in a season prior to 2025.

What’s next: Oct. 18 vs. Washington State, 6:30 p.m., The CW