The Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens are level at 1-1 in their Eastern Conference Final series, as play shifts to Canada for Game 3 on Monday.
Following a Game 1 loss, the Hurricanes refocused and played closer to their desired style in Game 2.
Hurricanes Adjust After Game 1 Loss
Rod Brind’Amour saw no need to massively adjust the scheme after the Carolina Hurricanes’ Game 1 defeat. The issue was simply getting back to their game with the precision and edge they had shown earlier in the playoffs.
K’Andre Miller stated that the team needed a better effort after Game 1. He added that they know how to play Hurricane hockey and are at their best when they can get to their game.
Montreal won Game 1 by jumping on a team coming off an 11-day break, scoring four goals in the opening 11 1/2 minutes. The Canadiens repeatedly got loose for clean breakouts and breakaways against Frederik Andersen.
The Hurricanes played more of their preferred style in the second period of that game. Brind’Amour said that the team wouldn’t go through an on-ice practice.
Carolina’s Game 2 Response
Carolina responded in Game 2 by playing closer to its previous playoff form with its aggressive forecheck. They controlled the puck in the offensive zone and won battles along the boards to minimise the chances going the other way. The Hurricanes held the Canadiens to 12 shots on goal while surrendering far fewer unchecked sprints through the neutral zone.
Captain Jordan Staal said that Game 2 was more Carolina Hurricane hockey. He added that the team will try to keep building on that.
Pressure to Reach the Stanley Cup Final
There is pressure on the Hurricanes to break through to the Stanley Cup Final in their third Eastern final in four years and fourth in their current eight-year postseason run under Brind’Amour. Carolina were swept in this round against Boston in 2019 and Florida in 2023, then fell in five games in last year’s rematch with the Panthers.
- The Hurricanes were 1-13 under Brind’Amour in the Eastern Conference Final before winning Game 2.
- Nikolaj Ehlers scored the overtime goal in Game 2.
- The franchise’s struggles in this round go back even to Brind’Amour’s playing days in a 2009 sweep against Pittsburgh.
The Hurricanes had lost 10 straight home conference-final games since beating Buffalo in Game 7 on the way to hoisting the Cup in 2006 with Brind’Amour as captain.
This is the first time the Hurricanes haven’t found themselves in an 0-2 hole in this round since that year, too.
Brind’Amour dismissed talk of past struggles by noting “ther