Carolina Hurricanes: 3 Keys to Game 2 Victory Against Boston Bruins

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 Bruce Bennett/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 Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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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 Bruce Bennett/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 Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The Hurricanes look to steal a win on the road tonight against the Boston Bruins in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Here’s what they need to do to even the series.

The Carolina Hurricanes are still in this. After a heartbreaking, albeit infuriating, loss in Game 1 Friday night, the Hurricanes are going to return with a vengeance tonight.

Both teams will be coming off of a two-day break, and Bruins’ defender Charlie McAvoy will be returning to the lineup tonight after being suspended for one game for a hit laid on Columbus Blue Jackets’ winger Josh Anderson in Game 6 of the second round.

The Carolina Hurricanes have every chance to regain neutral standing tonight. Boston will be looking to increase the pressure on the Hurricanes to reproduce their performance from Round 1 in which the Hurricanes eliminated defending Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals.

The Hurricanes are going to need to start strong right out of the gates, stay out of the penalty box, and continue to dominate the game during 5 on 5 play in order to ensure they walk away with at least one win on the road this series.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 09: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the first period against the Boston Bruins in Game One of the Eastern Conference Final 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: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the first period against the Boston Bruins in Game One of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on May 09, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /

1. Start Strong

If there is one thing the Hurricanes can do to ensure a tally in the W column tonight, it is to start strong, right out of the gates.

In Game 1, the Boston Bruins scored right out of the gate. The Hurricanes managed to tie it up almost immediately, but had the Hurricanes been able to match the Bruins’ intensity in those first few minutes, their powerplay goal would’ve been the first of the game.

Boston has not done well historically in this postseason when trailing their opponents. Meanwhile Carolina has almost always managed to stay ahead of their opponents and close out a game when leading. Game 1 was a outlier in this.

The Hurricanes, once they get going, are hard to slow down. The Bruins were not able to catch up to the Hurricanes in Game 1 until the third period, but that was mainly because of a few terrible penalties. This leads us right into the next key to victory: stay out of the penalty box.

BOSTON, MA – MAY 9: Head coach Rod Brind’Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes talks with his team during the third period against the Boston Bruins in Game One of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden on May 9, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – MAY 9: Head coach Rod Brind’Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes talks with his team during the third period against the Boston Bruins in Game One of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the TD Garden on May 9, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) /

2. Stay Out of the Penalty Box

Penalties have been a huge thorn in the side of the Hurricanes, going all the way back to the regular season. With a penalty kill percentage of 73.2% this postseason, the Hurricanes absolutely have to stay out of the box.

The Boston Bruins boast a 30% powerplay conversion rate, the highest of any team this postseason. As evidence by their two powerplay goals 28 seconds apart in Game 1, the Bruins have no problem scoring on the powerplay, and will do everything they can tonight to draw as many penalties as possible.

The Hurricanes play a much better 5 on 5 game than the rest of the teams in the playoffs, which leads us to our final key to the game: continue dominating during 5 on 5 play.

BOSTON, MA – MAY 09: Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (20) tries to cut off the outgoing pass. During Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals featuring the Carolina Hurricanes against the Boston Bruins on May 09, 2019 at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – MAY 09: Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (20) tries to cut off the outgoing pass. During Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals featuring the Carolina Hurricanes against the Boston Bruins on May 09, 2019 at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

3. Continue Even-Strength Dominance

The Carolina Hurricanes have played a far superior 5 on 5 game this postseason than every other team in the playoffs this year.

Despite owning the third-worst powerplay percentage of all teams this postseason (12.2%), the Hurricanes have still managed to eliminate the Washington Capitals in the first round, and sweep the New York Islanders in the second. This speaks volumes as to how successful the Hurricanes can dominate games at even strength.

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During Game 1, the Bruins were completely outclassed and outskated during 5 on 5 play. They looked to be on their heels as the Hurricanes continued winning the loose puck battles, as well as the majority of battles for the puck at the boards.

The Carolina Hurricanes are still in this, Caniacs. They came back from worse during Round 1. If the Hurricanes can manage to start strong, stay out of the box, and continue their dominance at even-strength, they should be able to steal a coveted win on the road, and begin the journey to eliminating the Boston Bruins to move onto the Stanley Cup finals.

Prediction:

109. Final. 1. 70. 3

light. Hot. Top 5 Hurricanes Conn Smythe Candidates

Question for CC Readers: Should Rod Brind’amour stick with Petr Mrazek tonight, or should he give Curtis McElhinney another run in net?

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