“We’ve got to come out with everything we’ve got,” said Jordan Staal before the Hurricanes returned to the Amerant Bank Arena for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. But he probably wasn’t really sure that Carolina could, in fact, pull one back against the Panthers on the latter’s home ground. Naturally, Florida head coach Paul Maurice wasn’t elated at the netminder’s slip-up.

Bobrovsky made 25 saves in tonight’s game against the visitors. But as they say, it’s the final result that matters. Despite all his best intentions, the goalie let in 3 pricey goals, and Paul Maurice could hardly keep a straight face.

In a post by B/R Open Ice on X from May 26, Coach Maurice’s frustration was heard oozing out after the Panthers’ 3-0 loss at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes today. “I didn’t like the last two at all. This gap was horses–t,” Paul told the reporters during the post-match presser. Both of the Hurricanes’ last two goals, (Sebastian Aho’s goal at 17:49 and the final goal of the game by Jordan Staal at 18:15) were scored on an unguarded Panthers net. For understandable reasons, Paul Maurice couldn’t believe how team’s defense crumbled on the night the Cats were supposed to send the Canes packing.

And that gives rise to the question: Was Andersen was the better netminder tonight despite making only 20 saves against Bobrovsky? The final result would certainly swing the scales Andersen’s way. However, Paul admitted that things could have been much worse if his goalie wasn’t somewhat passable at his job in Game 4.

“He made two or three other real big saves,” Maurice told the reporters, even though the frown on his forehead didn’t disappear as the words came out of his mouth. But he also underscored that it might not have been Sergei’s sole fault behind the Panthers’ misfortune. Instead, like ecstatic wins, the defeat was also a team effort, Paul posited to some degree.

“You’ll always look at it in your end, and you will be able to find lots of stuff [where] we were looking for something better,” the Florida boss told reporters after the game. But, maybe, this was always on the table: An upset. A setback. After all, Matthew Tkachuk did mention that the Canes weren’t an easy opponent to face. “I don’t think really anybody enjoys playing Carolina,” the Panthers’ forward had said before the Eastern Conference Final commenced. That should have been pointer enough for Paul Maurice to know that the No. 2 seed from the Metropolitan Division wouldn’t cave-in without a fight.

Would have been pretty ignorant of him, too. Despite the Hurricanes currently trailing the series 1-3, they are also the squad that eliminated the Washington Capitals from the playoffs this year: The team that has the likes of Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson in its roster. Surely, Maurice wasn’t expecting a hall pass! Whatever it may be, Paul needs the team to regroup, and fast.

Paul Maurice doesn’t have a squad that makes you lose hope on its capabilities

If we’re being honest, the Florida Panthers are a team that’s armed to the teeth. From star forward Matthew Tkachuk to Brad Marchand, the ex-Bruins captain who was traded to Miami in March, there certainly isn’t any shortage of offensive power in the Cats’ roster. Maybe that’s exactly why the Hurricanes came after Paul Maurice’s boys with all guns blazing from the get-go.

In Game 1, the Canes did their best to take out Sergei Bobrovsky. Along with the puck, it seemed like the Carolina stars weren’t afraid to throw themselves at the Panthers’ goalie, making Bobrovsky’s life a nightmare. The scenes weren’t easy to digest and even NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman was left unnerved. “The goalies need to be protected,” the hockey pundit called out with a booming voice.

And yet, Bobrovsky held the fort. The goalie let the puck go past him on only two occasions in Game 1, where Carolina took 33 shots at the goal. That resulted in a determined 5-2 victory for Paul Maurice’s team. In Game 2, Sergei came up with a pristine 1 save% (17 saves) to shut out the Hurricanes in a 5-0 victory. In Game 3, it was another thumping 6-2 win for the Cats, thanks to Bobrovsky saving 23 of the 25 shots fired at him.

Surely, Paul Maurice knows his netminder can pull out special bunnies out of the hat if the match demands it! So onward and upward! The focus shifts back to the Lenovo Center for Game 5. Share your predictions for Wednesday’s match in a comment!