The Carolina Hurricanes go into tonight’s match up against the New York Islanders with their perfect record on the line. Will they come out with it intact?
There are only five remaining undefeated teams in the National Hockey league going into tonight’s match ups. Of those five teams only two have played at least four games; The Edmonton Oilers and the Carolina Hurricanes. The Oilers get to enjoy their undefeated record for at least one more night before taking on another undefeated team in the New York Rangers.
The Carolina Hurricanes on the other hand take on the other New York team tonight. The Islanders, who are coming off a 5-2 loss at the hands of the previously mentioned Oilers (really it was just James Neal alone who beat them) roll into town looking to settle a score from the playoffs last year which saw them get unceremoniously swept after a completing a sweep themselves.
Almost as if by fate the Carolina Hurricanes will be donning the black third jerseys for the first time this season to welcome the New York Islanders to a recognizable atmosphere in PNC arena that is sure to give them a bad case of Déjà vu. While there are several new faces on the Carolina Hurricanes roster, there are enough familiar faces that will haunt them.
Last season the New York Islanders took three out of four games from the Carolina Hurricanes including ruining their opening night after holding the team to a single goal and finishing them off in overtime. Now while the Carolina Hurricanes go the last laugh in the playoffs, they should be looking to start off the series against the Islanders this year on the right foot.
So what should this team look to do to establish themselves at the top of the metro division and not fall back down a la’ New Jersey Devils last season? Here are the three keys to tonight’s game that will see them skate away with the undefeated record intact and another storm surge to put into the books.