Confident ‘Canes Sweep Ottawa, First to Advance to Round 2 of Postseason

Round 2 of the NHL’s Stanley Cup postseason can’t come soon enough for the Carolina Hurricanes.

When you’re on a roll like Carolina, momentum is your friend. Unfortunately for Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour, his players, and Raleighites, patience is a virtue. Tickets went on sale on Monday for Round 2. The ice remains cold, and the seats inside the Lenovo Center, in Raleigh, North Carolina, are empty. Who and when the Metropolitan Division champions and top seed in the Eastern Conference are paired with next remains on hold for Carolina.

Since collecting a fourth victory at the expense of the Ottawa Senators on Saturday to sweep Round 1, the Hurricanes are in a sit-and-wait situation.  It will be either the Philadelphia Flyers or Pittsburgh Penguins who Carolina skates against in the next round of postseason play.  Philadelphia leads the best-of-seven series 3–1, with Game 5 scheduled for Monday evening in Pittsburgh. The Penguins avoided elimination by winning Game 4, 4–2, on Saturday at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

The Hurricanes and Flyers last met during the regular season’s final week, in Philadelphia, and the Flyers 3–2 shootout win clinched a playoff spot for the home team.

Whereas Carolina was first to advance to Round 2 in the chase for the Stanley Cup, the next day, on Sunday, the Colorado Avalanche eliminated the Los Angeles Kings from Round 1. Colorado’s four-game sweep now has them them waiting for the winner of the Dallas Stars–Minnesota Wild series.

Sunday at NHL.com, Hurricanes coach Brind’Amour praised the play and importance of how well his goaltender Frederik Andersen performed in the Ottawa series opposite Senators’ goalie Linus Ullmark.

“Can’t understate that,” Brind’Amour said of Andersen’s performance. “Especially when you want to consider how well the other guy was playing there in their end, it was a goalie matchup. They were going save for save, and we needed it. Otherwise, this could have gone a lot different. It’s probably the best hockey he’s played for us.”

Winning the first two games of Round 1 at home seemed to ignite Carolina for more dominance at Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Center. The Hurricanes never trailed in any of the four games.

When Carolina’s Logan Stankoven scored the go-ahead power-play goal in the third period on Saturday, followed by two empty-net goals at 17:38 and 18:09 in the third period, along with Taylor Hall’s score in the opening period, Ottawa’s coach Travis Green sensed it would be an early exit from the playoffs for his team.

In The Athletic on Sunday, Green’s comments prior to Saturday’s game solidified that his roster has work to do, in order to keep up with teams the caliber of the Hurricanes.

“I think the Stankoven line has been exceptional so far,” Ottawa coach Travis Green said on Friday afternoon. “And the other seven lines are just chipping away and playing the game, investing in the game, taking what’s given to you. But also, you’ve got to take what you earn. We’ve got to just work, or earn, our way into some more scoring chances or work, or earn, our way into them having a few less chances.”

Carolina’s second-line of Stankoven, Jackson Blake, and Taylor Hall are the hot trio on all shifts lately. They got the scoring started Saturday in the second period at 15:15, giving Carolina a 1–0 lead. Hall scored, with assists from Mark Jankowski and Eric Robinson.

With both Carolina and Colorado advancing to Round 2, this potential pairing in the Stanley Cup Final, the best of the Eastern and Western Conferences, is drawing increased attention. The Avalanche completed the regular season at 53–22–7, good for 113 points and winners of the Presidents’ Trophy.

Carolina finished up the season a close second to Colorado. Having failed to advance past the third round of the postseason over the past seven seasons, and winning their lone Stanley Cup 20 years ago in 2006, all signs are pointing to the Hurricanes at least being positioned to challenge for the Stanley Cup beginning next month.

Hall’s seven points (2 goals and 5 assists) and defenseman K’Andre Miller’s three assists, added to Andersen’s .995 save percentage make for a very tough team to match on offense and defense. Regardless of who Carolina competes against in Round 2, Brind’Amour’s players will be well rested.

The Hurricanes are too talented to fail. In a game such as hockey where what have you done for me lately counts most, four dominant consecutive wins is all the talking necessary by Carolina. The Penguins are fighting for their playoff lives, and the Flyers are gliding toward wrapping up their Round 1 series, and for a pending showdown with the Hurricanes.

The NHL hasn’t released the date for the opening game of Round 2. Carolina will host Games 1 and 2, and Games 5 and 7, if necessary.