HIGHLIGHTS
- Sam Bennett identified Panthers’ passive play as the key issue in Game 4 loss
- Carolina Hurricanes avoided sweep with 3-0 shutout victory in Sunrise
- Read below for Bennett’s comments and what’s next for the Panthers
The Florida Panthers couldn’t finish the sweep on Monday night, and Sam Bennett knows exactly why.
After Carolina’s 3-0 victory at Amerant Bank Arena, the Panthers forward didn’t mince words about his team’s performance. “Tonight wasn’t our game. We sat back, but that’s not the norm for us. It’s a pretty easy fix to turn that around,” Bennett said, via Panthers reporter Jameson Olive.
The Hurricanes came out swinging in Game 4, desperate to avoid elimination. Logan Stankoven opened the scoring in the second period, and Carolina tacked on two empty-netters to seal the shutout.
It was easily Carolina’s best performance of the Eastern Conference Final. But Bennett’s right – the Panthers made it easier by playing uncharacteristically passive hockey.
Head coach Paul Maurice wasn’t thrilled either. When asked about the game, he swatted at a fly and said, “Flys on what? That’s how I feel about that game.”
Classic Maurice.
Despite the frustration, the veteran coach sees a silver lining. “We’ve been pretty good at learning our lessons, and we need them,” Maurice said, via Olive.
The Panthers still control this series with a 3-1 lead. They’ve got another crack at closing it out Wednesday night in Raleigh, and you can bet they won’t be sitting back this time.
Bennett’s been through enough playoff battles to know one bad night doesn’t define a series. The Panthers have been the better team for three-and-a-half games. If they get back to their aggressive style in Game 5, this series likely ends there.
Carolina showed some life Monday, but Florida’s still in the driver’s seat. And according to Bennett, the fix is simple – stop sitting back and start attacking again.
