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Carolina Hurricanes: Takeaways from Game 1 Loss to Boston Bruins

By Matthew Nidiffer |
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 09: Head coach Rod Brind'Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes looks on in Game One of the Eastern Conference Final against the Boston Bruins during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on May 09, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 09: Head coach Rod Brind'Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes looks on in Game One of the Eastern Conference Final against the Boston Bruins during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on May 09, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
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The Carolina Hurricanes dropped Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final in Boston by a score of 5-2. Let’s talk about what happened.

I have watched this game three full times now. Call me crazy, but I couldn’t help but go back and pick apart every single detail until I figured out exactly what went wrong. The short answer? A lot went wrong. The long answer? Read on to find out.

This game was a long one, for players and fans alike. Officiating played a huge part in why this game took the turns that it did, but it doesn’t bear the full weight of blame. In my opinion, Boston was outplayed for almost the entire game.

The lead changed twice and the game looked like it was in full control of the Carolina Hurricanes. and then the third period happened. But before we get into that debacle, lets focus on the moment that it felt inevitable that Carolina was going to leave the night with a W:

The Hurricanes played a physical, tight-checking game last night, and the Bruins for a moment, seemed to be on their heels. After a few bad calls, and a few more missed calls, the game seemed to change, and the Hurricanes weren’t able to right the ship and steal a win in Boston. This is what happened, period by period.

The Carolina Hurricanes’ Sebastian Aho (20) celebrates after scoring against the Boston Bruins during the first period in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday, May 9, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Mass. The Bruins won, 5-2. (Robert Willett/Raleigh News & Observer/TNS via Getty Images)
The Carolina Hurricanes’ Sebastian Aho (20) celebrates after scoring against the Boston Bruins during the first period in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday, May 9, 2019, at TD Garden in Boston, Mass. The Bruins won, 5-2. (Robert Willett/Raleigh News & Observer/TNS via Getty Images) /

1st Period

The Boston Bruins came out swinging. 2 minutes and 55 seconds into the game, Steven Kampfer, who was only in the lineup to replace the suspended Charlie McAvoy, skillfully played the puck past Justin Faulk to score his first career playoff goal.

It didn’t take the Hurricanes long to equalize. 44 seconds after Kampfer’s opening goal, Bruins forward Sean Kuraly took a roughing penalty. Sebastian Aho converted on the powerplay three seconds later to tie the game at 1.

The Hurricanes began waking up in the first period shortly after Aho’s goal, and would remain the dominant team for the majority of the remainder of the game. Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask had more than a few tremendous saves, as did Petr Mrazek. The Hurricanes would finish out the 1st period with a 10-8 advantage in the shot total column.

BOSTON – MAY 9: Carolina Hurricanes’ Greg McKegg (42) scores a second period goal past Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) before colliding into him. The Boston Celtics host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the NHL Eastern Conference Finals on May 9, 2019. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON – MAY 9: Carolina Hurricanes’ Greg McKegg (42) scores a second period goal past Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40) before colliding into him. The Boston Celtics host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the NHL Eastern Conference Finals on May 9, 2019. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /

2nd Period

The Hurricanes took full control of the game during the 2nd period. The Bruins were outshot, outskated, and outplayed. The Hurricanes seemed to beat the Bruins to every loose puck, and seemed to be peppering Tuukka Rask with shot after shot.

The Hurricanes’ hold on the game was further entrenched after Greg McKegg squeezed a goal past Rask after being pushed into the netminder by Steven Kampfer. Bruins fans were absolutely incensed after this goal, but the goal stood. McKegg was pushed into Rask by Kampfer, and the puck crossed the line before any contact (incidental or not) was made.

The Hurricanes would go on to hold their advantage in the shot total column by 10-5, and gained an advantage in scoring chances 16-9.

BOSTON – MAY 9: Boston Bruins’ Marcus Johansson (90) scores a third period goal to tie the game, 2-2, as the puck goes above Carolina goalie Petr Mrazek (34). The Boston Celtics host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the NHL Eastern Conference Finals on May 9, 2019. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON – MAY 9: Boston Bruins’ Marcus Johansson (90) scores a third period goal to tie the game, 2-2, as the puck goes above Carolina goalie Petr Mrazek (34). The Boston Celtics host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the NHL Eastern Conference Finals on May 9, 2019. (Photo by John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /

3rd Period

Things fell apart in the 3rd period. Throughout the game, the Bruins absolutely could not score on the powerplay. Mrazek stood tall, and the Hurricanes’ penalty killers played a stout, defensive game to kill most of them off.

This changed in the 3rd period. With Jordan Staal in the box for an extremely unnecessary boarding call, the Bruins finally converted on the powerplay. Marcus Johansson took advantage of an inadvertently blocked shot, and pushed the puck past Mrazek to tie the game up.

Merely 15 seconds later, Dougie Hamilton would be called for an extremely questionable roughing penalty. Meanwhile, Sean Kuraly blindsides Andrei Svechnikov with absolutely no action from the officials. 13 seconds after that, Patrice Bergeron converts on yet another Bruins’ powerplay, taking the lead back from Carolina, 3-2.

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The Bruins’ defense from this point on was absolutely miserly. Teuvo Teravainen had a solid chance with close to 6 minutes remaining in the game, but his shot from the slot went just wide of the net.

Rod Brind’amour pulled Mrazek with two and a half minutes left in the game in hopes that the Hurricanes would be able to tie it, but Bruins center Charlie Coyle had other plans. 17 seconds after Mrazek was pulled, Coyle scored the empty-netter to bring the Bruins lead to 4-2.

Then, just to add salt to the wound, Teravainen turned the puck over to Bruins forward Chris Wagner, who managed to get in behind Carolina’s defense and put one last shot past Mrazek, bringing the final score to 5-2 in favor of the Bruins.

This was a tough loss to take, Caniacs. I, for one, am still fuming about it. Having played hockey for the better part of two decades, and having officiated for almost a full decade now, I am still dumbfounded as to how quickly this game seemed to go south. The Hurricanes are a resilient bunch, however, and this is a best-of-seven series.

Hot. Justin Williams Among Best Hurricanes of All Time. light

I have no doubt in my mind that the Hurricanes will bounce back. This loss just added fuel to an already blazing fire, and I am willing to bet Games 2, 3, 4, and 5 will be very, very different.

Question for CC Readers: Do you think officiating played a major role in the turning of the tables in Game 1?

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