As the final buzzer rang out over the largest crowd that PNC Arena had seen in over a year, the Carolina Hurricanes were not the team celebrating in jubilation.
Instead they were looking on dejectedly at the Tampa Bay Lightnings who would be advancing to the Stanley Cup Semifinals after defeating the Canes in five games.
Among the onlookers was the franchise’s Finnish cornerstone, Sebastian Aho, his face full of disappointment.
“We had, in our minds, something different than this,” Aho said after the elimination. “I thought we were ready to take the next step.