Florida Panthers Staying in the Moment, Not Looking Ahead

FORT LAUDERDALE — The Florida Panthers have been in this position a number of times in the past few years.

They seem to know how to handle things, but one never knows.

Tonight, the Panthers can hit another franchise milestone.

With a win in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida would win the Prince of Wales Trophy and go to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year.

While the Panthers come in with all the momentum in the world — everyone in the hockey world just assumes this series is over due to the way the Panthers have dominated it thus far — Carolina has absolutely nothing to lose tonight.

The Panthers, obviously, do.

“It’s a seven-game series,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “It doesn’t take three to win a series. That’s the simplest answer I’ve got. It takes four and we need one more, and it’s the hardest one to win.

“They are going to be ready, and I know we will be as well.”

The Panthers have a mixed bag in closeout games lately. They took care of business in Game 5 against the Lightning in the opening round, but lost 2-0 at home in Game 6 against the Maple Leafs in Round 2. Florida demolished the Leafs in Toronto in Game 7’s winner-take-all.

Coach Paul Maurice has brought up how the Panthers coughed away Game 4 against the Leafs in 2023 when they were on the verge of a sweep, and has mentioned the 2024 Stanley Cup Final a few times.

The Panthers did have a 3-0 lead on Edmonton last year, but were not dominating the Oilers like they are the Hurricanes in this one.

The Panthers have all the confidence in the world going into tonight’s game, and they should.

Florida has outscored Carolina 16-4 in the first three games with the Hurricanes already benching starter Frederik Andersen for Game 3.

He is expected to be back in net tonight.

The Panthers just need to play like they have been playing, and they should be fine.

“Part of our collective experience is understanding what a Game 4 feels like when you’re up three,’’ Maurice said. “The value of being in the series in each game mentally is the same way regardless of the game count. …

“You stay a little tighter with your own thoughts about how we’re going to have to play.”

2025 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL: GAME 4

CAROLINA HURRICANES @ FLORIDA PANTHERS

Panthers lead Best-of-7 Series 3-0

• When: Monday, 8 p.m. 
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• National TV: TNT/truTV
• National Streaming: Max
• Radio: WQAM 560-AM; WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Series Schedule (all games on TNT/tru, 8 p.m.) — Game 1: Florida 5, Carolina 2; Game 2: Florida 5, Carolina 0; Game 3: Florida 6, Carolina 2; Game 4: Monday @Florida; Game 5*: Wednesday @Carolina; Game 6*: Friday, May 30 @Florida; Game 7*: Sunday, June 1 @Carolina
• Regular Season: Panthers Won 2-1
• How They Got Here: Carolina d. New Jersey (5), Washington (5); Florida d. Tampa Bay (5), Toronto (7).
• All-Time Regular Season Series: Carolina/Hartford leads 74-49-10, 11 ties
• Postseason History: Florida 1-0 (2023 ECF in 4)