Rookies Logan Stankoven and Alexander Nikishin joined forces on the game-winning goal and Frederik Andersen joined rare company in franchise history with a shutout while facing elimination as the Hurricanes blanked the Panthers and forced Game 5 back on home ice.
* A Hurricanes win guaranteed no sweeps through the first three rounds in a postseason for the fifth time since the Division Semifinals changed from best-of-five to best-of-seven in 1987.
* The Stars and Oilers will clash for Game 4 of the Western Conference Final at Rogers Place, with Dallas looking to draw even. Did you know? The Stars have required at least six games in each of their previous nine series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
FREDDY BLANKS FLORIDA AS HURRICANES STAVE OFF ELIMINATION AND FORCE GAME 5
Rookies Logan Stankoven (1-0—1) and Alexander Nikishin (0-1—1) combined on the game-winning goal and Frederik Andersen turned aside all 20 shots he faced as the Hurricanes captured their first win in the Conference Finals since 2006 and forced Game 5 back in Carolina on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET on TNT, MAX, Sportsnet & TVA Sports).
* WATCH HERE for full highlights from Hurricanes-Panthers Game 4.
* Stankoven – who captured the Red Garrett Memorial Award as AHL Rookie of the Year in 2023-24 with the Texas Stars (24-33—57 in 47 GP) – netted his fifth goal of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, second game-winning goal and became the first rookie in Hurricanes/Whalers history to register the game-winning goal in a contest the franchise faced elimination.
* Nikishin appeared in just his third NHL game (regular season or playoffs) after the Hurricanes selected the defenseman in the third round of the 2020 NHL Draft (No. 69). He became the sixth defenseman in the expansion era (since 1968) to record his first career point in a game his team faced elimination. The others: Calen Addision (Game 5 of 2021 R1 w/ MIN), Ryan Parent (Game 4 of 2008 CF w/ PHI), Doug Janik (Game 7 of 2006 CF w/ BUF), Doug Lidster (Game 3 of 1984 DSF w/ VAN) and Bill Kitchen (Game 4 of 1982 DSF w/ MTL).
* Andersen outdueled Sergei Bobrovsky – who entered the contest with the lowest career goals-against average and highest save percentage in the history of the Conference Finals (min. 10 GP) – en route to his fifth career playoff shutout and second as a member of the Hurricanes.
QUICK CLICKS
* #NHLStats: Live Updates for May 26, 2025
* Mattias Ekholm could return from injury for Oilers in Game 4
* Stars continue to ‘have all the faith in the world’ in Wyatt Johnston
* Zach Hyman’s ‘wrecking ball’ approach setting Oilers’ playoff tone
* Roope Hintz ‘feeling good,’ hopes to play for Stars in Game 4 of West Final
STARS SEEK TO TIE SERIES TUESDAY BEFORE HEADING HOME TO DALLAS
The Western Conference Final continues Tuesday when Miro Heiskanen and the Stars look to even their series against the Oilers at Rogers Place before heading home to Dallas for Game 5. Each of the last five teams to face a 2-1 series deficit in a Conference Finals/Semifinals won Game 4, with the Stars looking to extend that streak to six following victories by the 2024 Oilers (4-2 series win), 2024 Panthers (4-2 series win), 2022 Lightning (4-2 series win), 2021 Golden Knights (4-2 series loss) and 2021 Islanders (4-3 series loss).
* The Stars are no strangers to adversity – they have overcome a 2-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven series 11 times in their franchise history (11-17), with the most recent coming in the 2024 First Round against the Golden Knights (4-3 W). Heiskanen, who had 1-1—2 in Game 1 against Edmonton, posted 1-4—5 in those seven contests against Vegas last year and ranked second on his team in points (tied).
* Dallas has overcome a 2-1 series deficit in the round before the Stanley Cup Final once before: the 2000 Conference Finals against Colorado, which saw the defending-champion Stars battle back from a 2-1 deficit to take a 3-2 series lead before ultimately defeating the Avalanche in Game 7. The Stars can become the fifth non-Original Six franchise to overcome such a deficit in a best-of seven in the round before the Final multiple times, following the Oilers (2024 & 1990 CF), Blues (2019 CF & 1968 SF), Penguins (2017 & 1991 CF) and Devils (2012 & 2000 CF).
* Across the ice, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and the Oilers will look to move within one of advancing to the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year. Edmonton owns a 21-3 record when leading a best-of-seven series 2-1, including a 3-0 record in the Conference Finals/Semifinals.
* Nugent-Hopkins (2-5—7 in 3 GP) can become the fourth player in franchise history with multiple points during each of the first four games in a playoff series. The others are Leon Draisaitl (5 GP in 2022 R2 & 4 GP in 2024 R2), Wayne Gretzky (5 GP in 1988 CF & 4 GP in 1983 CF) and Connor McDavid (4 GP in 2022 R2).
