The Carolina Hurricanes are meeting the Florida Panthers once again in the Eastern Conference Final, just two years after the latter swept the former in the exact same scenario.

It was as close of a series as you'll get for a sweep, with two overtimes (one a quadruple overtime at that) and every game decided by just a single goal.

"I liked how we played," said Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour on that 2023 series. "The point was we had a chance to win every game and maybe we were the better team in some of those games and it's just hockey. It works that way. I couldn't have asked for more from my group. That's the thing I love about this team is that that's generally how it goes almost every night. You may not win, but how often am I going away going, well that wasn't very good or not good enough. That's what you want."

With the exact same matchup again so soon, there's bound to be plenty of talk of the past and while that memory may live on with many, those scars don't so much live on with this current iteration of the Hurricanes.

"It's definitely a different situation," said Sebastian Aho. "Different team two years ago and all that, but obviously there's two good teams that will be going at it. Going to be a hard series and hopefully we get the best of it."

For one, this is a different Canes team than from two years ago.

Carolina has 12 players returning from that roster (only 10 that actually played in that series).

They lost a lot of long-tenured veterans from that squad and so this team looks a lot different, even if they may play very similar.

"We know we have a good group in here, a different group than we had two years ago," said Jaccob Slavin. "So we have full confidence moving forward. The past is in the past. We're focused on right now and the group that we have right here in this room and we have all the confidence in the world in it."

But it's not just about the players they lost though.

They've added a ton of great pieces like Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven and also Andrei Svechnikov in essence, who is currently leading the Hurricanes in goals, as he was sidelined due to an ACL tear. That was a huge loss for the Canes, so just think of how impactful his presence can be.

"It was a tough team missing the semifinal that year, but now we're here all together so we have to try and do it together," Svechnikov said.

But just because they aren't living in the past, doesn't mean they have completely forgotten it either.

"Two years ago, it didn't feel good obviously at the time," said captain Jordan Staal said. "Whenever you have tough losses when you feel good about where you're going, they always stick out in your mind, but it's a new challenge, with different players. It's definitely in the back of your mind though and you want to get them back."

You learn from every game and every series, good or bad, and that 2023 series is no exception.

"Anytime you have those types of results, it's experience. You learn from it," Brind'Amour said. "Whether it's a good experience or bad experience, however you want to look at all that. I think you learn from stuff. I know this group has and you hope that whatever lessons you've learned from that make you that much better this time around."

But the Hurricanes are focused solely now on the future and trying to get over that hump that has kept them at bay for so long.

Despite all their success over the past seven seasons, they have yet to so much as win a game in the third round, let along make it to the Stanley Cup Final.

"We know it's going to be a challenge and that it's going to be tough," Brind'Amour said. "It's supposed to be at this time of year. I think the guys who have been through it understand that maybe a little more now because they have been through it. Maybe that's what will be the difference."

Standing in their way is the defending Cup champions, but they aren't scared. 

"I know for sure that we're hungry," Aho said. "To be the best, you have to beat the best. They're the defending Cup champs and obviously a really good team. It's going to be a great challenge for us, but we're ready, we're hungry and I can't wait."

Be sure to check out the Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Hub for all postseason stories!   

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