Carolina Hurricanes: Three Keys to a Game 3 Victory

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 26: The Carolina Hurricanes celebrates a 1-0 overtime win over the New York Islanders in Game One of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Barclays Center on April 26, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 26: The Carolina Hurricanes celebrates a 1-0 overtime win over the New York Islanders in Game One of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Barclays Center on April 26, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
1 of 4
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 28: Nino Niederreiter #21 of the Carolina Hurricanes is congratulated by his teammate Jordan Staal #11 after scoring a third period goal as Robin Lehner #40, Brock Nelson #29 and Adam Pelech #3 of the New York Islanders react in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Barclays Center on April 28, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 28: Nino Niederreiter #21 of the Carolina Hurricanes is congratulated by his teammate Jordan Staal #11 after scoring a third period goal as Robin Lehner #40, Brock Nelson #29 and Adam Pelech #3 of the New York Islanders react in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Barclays Center on April 28, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Carolina Hurricanes can set up a sweep of the New York Islanders on Friday by taking care of Business at PNC. Here are our three keys to victory tonight.

On December 30, 2018 the Carolina Hurricanes were an afterthought. A few months shy of an NHL worst eleventh straight season without a post season appearance, when it happens, not if, was the question. Five months and one day later and those same Hurricanes are two wins away from the Eastern Conference Finals.

More from Cardiac Cane

After 1-0 and 2-1 victories against the New York Islanders, Carolina is in complete control of their second round series. Those same Hurricanes had only won 15 games through that December 30th date have now won 15 games – six in the playoffs – since March 11th.

Despite all the momentum for Carolina on a downhill trajectory and it looking like nothing can go wrong, there’s a reason why the Islanders are in the second round of the playoffs. That reason is not luck.

Carolina has to keep the momentum in their favor as they return to PNC Arena tonight. The recipe for a 3-0 series lead is not a simple as it may seem. Here are the three keys to earning a 3-0 series lead tonight in Raleigh.

Schedule