It’s over. The Carolina Hurricanes’ playoff dreams have come to a cruel end just when they were starting to believe. In Game 4, the Carolina Hurricanes finally won their first Eastern Conference Final game in 19 years. While it looked like an uphill climb, the Canes were ready to fight, and Game 5 showed that determination. The Canes took a comfortable 2-goal early lead, but it didn’t last, as a cool and collected Matthew Tkachuk ignited the Cats’ comeback in the second period.
The Panthers’ alternate captain became part of the traffic in the front of the Canes’ net at the right time. So when Aaron Ekblad ripped a shot toward the net, Tkachuk was there to masterfully tip the puck into the net. Interestingly, keeping calm during such a stressful situation is exactly what the 27-year-old spoke about during the pre-game presser. The Panthers’ star explained how his team makes all the difference.
“Our team will stick up for each other, and we’ve got a great bond in that room. We’ve gone through so much this year and years prior to that, you know? We’ve become a family,” Matthew Tkachuk told the media. And it’s this bond and working toward the common goal of winning the Stanley Cup that’s kept the NHL forward-focused even during pressure. The goal is to win it all.
Image via Instagram/ @matthew_tkachuk
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