Hurricanes With Five Straight Wins
The Carolina Hurricanes have secured a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs but have still kept their foot on the gas. They have an opportunity to win the Metropolitan Division if the New York Rangers lose their final game, but no matter what, the Hurricanes are a solidified playoff team and have played well recently.
It was an interesting season for much of the year. Carolina wasn’t necessarily slept on, but many weren’t talking about them for whatever reason. Heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, there’s no denying them. With those five straight wins, the Hurricanes have also won eight of their last 10.
Their wins have been impressive, beating teams like the Boston Bruins and the St. Louis Blues. The ability to keep the puck out of the back of the net has been working for the Hurricanes, allowing two or fewer goals in each of these five wins.
Jaccob Slavin spoke about Frederik Andersen’s recent play, having the following to say, according to Walt Ruff of NHL.com.
“They came out hard, they came out strong and there was desperation from them. I think we got off to a slow start but we were able to match it eventually. Obviously, Freddie made some really big saves in the first period to keep us in it, and we just competed.”
He made some spectacular saves, and Andersen spoke about that, according to The Hockey News.
“I mean there you go. That’s where we were a bit sluggish. A bad play in our zone, had full possession of the puck and then tried to do something we probably shouldn’t and next thing you know they get those two grade-As. Those are key moments where you don’t get down too much and have to really fight to get back. That might have been the play of the game right there.”
Are they The Favorites in the Eastern Conference?
With this recent stretch of elite hockey, the Carolina Hurricanes might very well be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. Looking around the league, the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and New York Rangers are always tough opponents to beat, but the Hurricanes have been just as good.
The Hurricanes have racked up a +66 goal differential, topping the Eastern Conference charts, which reflects their strong play in both the defensive zone and on the attack. They’ve netted 276 goals this season, placing them fourth in the Eastern Conference in goal-scoring.
Jake Guentzel spoke about their mindset heading into the playoffs.
“The team (has been) such a good team, obviously really well-coached,” Guentzel told Bleacher Report after Carolina’s 4-1 win over the Bruins at TD Garden. “For me, it’s playing with special players, and our line has been playing really well. It’s been fun for me.”
Sara Civian of Bleacher Report believes the Hurricanes are a scary team heading into the playoffs due to their ability to stay true.
“Part of this is staying true to what has always found them success: defensive dominance at all ends of the ice. They own the No. 1 penalty kill in the league with an 86.4 percent kill rate. They’ve got the third-most goals from defensemen in the league. They allow the fewest shots per game at 25.7. This is the Carolina Hurricanes at their best, and it always will be.”
This will all be put to the test in the early stages of the playoffs, and if Carolina continues to execute as they have been, they should find themselves in a favourable position.
Sebastian Aho and Guentzel have led this team offensively and their continued leadership on the ice is crucial. Guentzel has 77 points, the 30th most in the NHL. Aho, who’s been a staple in the NHL the past few seasons, has accumulated 89 points, placing him 16th among NHL scorers.
