The Carolina Hurricanes were dealt a major blow in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers when defenseman Jaccob Slavin was forced to leave the game after taking a heavy hit from Panthers forward Sam Bennett. Slavin, who is one of the Hurricanes’ top defensemen and a key contributor on both ends of the ice, was ruled out of Game 4 as a result of the hit.
The hit occurred early in the second period of Game 3, with Slavin carrying the puck up the ice and into the Panthers’ zone. As he tried to make a move around Bennett, the Panthers forward delivered a hard check that sent Slavin crashing into the boards. Slavin appeared to hit his head on the boards and was slow to get up, eventually leaving the ice under his own power but clearly shaken up.
After the game, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour confirmed that Slavin had suffered an upper-body injury as a result of the hit and would be out for at least Game 4. Brind’Amour also expressed frustration with the hit, calling it “a dangerous play” and suggesting that Bennett should have been penalized for it.
The loss of Slavin is a significant blow for the Hurricanes, who rely heavily on his defensive prowess and ability to move the puck up the ice. Slavin led all Hurricanes defensemen in ice time during the regular season, averaging over 22 minutes per game, and was a key part of their penalty-killing unit. He also chipped in offensively, scoring three goals and adding 15 assists in 52 games.
The Hurricanes will need to find a way to replace Slavin’s contributions in Game 4 and beyond if they hope to advance past the Panthers in this tightly contested series. One option could be to give more ice time to other defensemen like Dougie Hamilton or Brett Pesce, both of whom have played well in the series so far. Another option could be to shuffle the lineup and give more playing time to forwards like Martin Necas or Nino Niederreiter, who have shown an ability to create offense.
Regardless of how they choose to replace Slavin, the Hurricanes will need to be at their best if they hope to overcome this setback and advance to the second round of the playoffs. The loss of a key player like Slavin is never easy, but the Hurricanes have shown all season that they have the depth and resilience to overcome adversity. It will be up to them to prove it once again in Game 4 and beyond.
