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Carolina Hurricanes: 3 Keys to Resetting in Game 3 vs. Bruins

By Tony Trotmann

BOSTON - MAY 12: After the Bruins went ahead 3-0, the Carolina Hurricanes bench looks on as a Boston fan in the background hoists a sign reading "Downgraded To Tropical Storm." The Boston Bruins host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of the NHL Eastern Conference Finals on May 12, 2019. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON - MAY 12: After the Bruins went ahead 3-0, the Carolina Hurricanes bench looks on as a Boston fan in the background hoists a sign reading "Downgraded To Tropical Storm." The Boston Bruins host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of the NHL Eastern Conference Finals on May 12, 2019. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /
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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) /

1. Aggressive Forecheck

This was mentioned in the Keys to Game 1, the Tampa Bay Lightning picked the Bruins apart piece by piece with an aggressive forecheck. Tampa Bay would hold onto the puck, dominate possession, and make passes until the Bruin defenders lost energy or made a mistake and they would strike.

We witnessed what the Hurricanes did to the Bruins in the second period of Game 1. They dominated the Bruins, their forecheck was ruthless. They almost scored shorthanded and the Hurricanes would get the tie-breaking goal, to gain the lead. The Hurricanes led 15-10 in shots on goal. The crowd was silent.

The Hurricanes will need to be all over the Bruins in Game 3 and it needs to be consistent. If the Hurricanes can keep the Bruins in their zone, the Bruins will not have the energy to defend, they’ll break from fatigue. If the forecheck is consistent, you can expect bad line changes from the Bruin from exhaustion.

The forecheck all starts from Carolina’s back-end, good defensive-to-offense transitions are required from them. Evidence proves from all of Stanley Cup Playoff hockey and from the home games of the past series, forechecking keeps the fans standing and loud, this will keep the crowd on fire, which the Hurricanes have fed off of.

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