By Field Level Media
Share this story

Frederik Andersen made 20 saves for the Carolina Hurricanes to help them avoid elimination with a 3-0 win against the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals on Monday night in Sunrise, Fla.

The Hurricanes, who still trail the best-of-seven series 3-1, host Game 5 on Wednesday in Raleigh, N.C.

ADVERTISING

Andersen, who registered his fifth career postseason shutout, did not play in Carolina’s 6-2 loss in Game 3 after surrendering nine goals on 36 shots in the first two games of the series. He had held opponents to two goals or fewer in eight of his nine appearances in the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Logan Stankoven scored in the second period for Carolina, which ended a 15-game losing streak in the conference finals. Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal added empty-net goals in the final minutes.

Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 of 26 shots for the Panthers, who were trying to sweep the Hurricanes in the conference finals for the second time in three years.

The Hurricanes took their first lead of the series when Stankoven scored at 10:45 of the middle period.

Florida defenseman Seth Jones tried to chip the puck through the neutral zone, but it went to Carolina rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin at the Panthers’ blue line. He made a backhanded touch pass to Stankoven coming through the neutral zone on his left.

Stankoven had room to bring the puck to the top of the left circle before blasting a wrist shot into the top of the net on the short side.

Nikishin, playing in his third NHL game, all in the current postseason, earned his first NHL point with the assist.

Florida defenseman Nate Schmidt hit the left post 58 seconds after Stankoven’s goal, but the Panthers were mostly quiet on the offensive end through the first two periods.