Hurricanes Coach Urges Smarter Play After Game 1 Loss

RALEIGH, North Carolina — Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour is calling for a smarter approach from his players after a 5-2 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday. Brind’Amour emphasized the need to stay focused and not get drawn into Florida’s trademark agitation.

“We know that’s how they do things,” Brind’Amour said. “Find a way not to let that get to you. Stick to what is going to win us games.”

During the game, Carolina center Sebastian Aho received a roughing penalty against Florida’s Anton Lundell in the first period at 6:59. This penalty negated a Carolina power play, allowing the Panthers to score the first goal of the game while on their own power play. Aho retaliated with a swing at Lundell after being cross-checked, but the referees only penalized Aho for his reaction.

“I mean, the first penalty is a bad call, right? You’re going to have those. But that’s my thing: Retaliation penalties are not going to get it done,” Brind’Amour said. “You can’t have that one because it really puts you behind the game.”

The Hurricanes have performed well when scoring first, holding a perfect 5-0 record in the playoffs. They are 3-3 when they fail to score first. Carolina’s penalty kill had been strong, with a record of stopping 14 of 15 power plays at home until they faced the Panthers, who converted 2 of 3 power-play opportunities.

“They made us pay. It’s a good team that knows how to score goals and finds ways to win games when you make mistakes,” Carolina captain Jordan Staal said. “We’ve got to limit those mistakes.”

In a later incident, Carolina defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere retaliated by shooting the puck at Florida forward Brad Marchand, resulting in a double minor and a 10-minute misconduct for Marchand. “Just heated. I was pretty pissed off. He tried to take a run at me,” Gostisbehere explained.

After Game 1, neither Panthers players nor coach Paul Maurice detailed the incidents. Maurice noted that such exchanges are typical in playoff hockey. “It happens. It’s what it is. I mean, we block shots all the time, so what’s the difference?” said Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad.

The Panthers are known for their physical style of play, which helped them win the Stanley Cup last season. They proved their resilience during Game 1, especially in goal with Sergei Bobrovsky, who remained unshaken despite frequent collisions. “It’s OK. It’s the playoffs. They try to get under the skin,” Bobrovsky said post-game.

“Sergei’s not a kid. He’s been through it,” Maurice added, commending Bobrovsky’s ability to remain composed in tense situations. “No one likes getting elbowed in the head, but it won’t be the first time or the last time.”

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals is set for Thursday night in Raleigh. Notably, the Hurricanes have lost 13 consecutive games in this playoff round and five straight to the Panthers.