The Carolina Hurricanes Dominate Game One Against The Rangers

Physicality

The Carolina Hurricanes showed up physically

The Hurricanes showed that physicality is a cornerstone to a dominating performance.

Mike Maniscalco said it perfectly when he told Tripp Tracy that there was a “frisky start to this one”. The overwhelming storyline of the first period was the physicality that the Canes led with, begun by a huge hit by none other than former Ranger Brady Skjei. Justin Williams even dropped the gloves with Ryan Strome in a rare fight for the Canes veteran.

The hits were hard and frequent from both teams. Although the lack of a crowd was noticeable at times, the Canes used physicality to stay in the game and to prevent the Rangers from controlling the puck.

The desperation that the Canes struggled to harness at several stretches during the regular season was not a problem in today’s contest.  The team’s physicality is just one element of this picture but it is a perfect example of what desperation looks like for the Hurricanes.

I can’t stress how important this physicality is for the Hurricanes to walk away with the series. Without crowds, physicality is more important than ever because it takes the place of the energy that the team would receive from the fans.

I think the fight was a great moment for the Canes because it shows how seriously Justin Williams is taking this chance at the Stanley Cup. This could be the veteran’s last season in the NHL, and if it is, he is certainly not going away quietly.

Next up, the Canes followed through on one of Cardiac Cane’s own Omar Abdelgawad’s keys to the game: Lean on the Special Teams.

Special Teams Magic

Both the Carolina Hurricanes’ PP and PK were essential to victory.

New York Ranger’s veteran netminder Henrik Lundqvist is good, very good. Tripp Tracy started the Canes broadcast with the remark that he would have rather seen Igor Shesterkin in net for the Rangers because of how critical Lundqvist has been in the Rangers’ recent victories against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Despite how elite Lundqvist is, the Hurricanes’ special teams proved that even the most elite goalies will eventually allow goals under enough pressure. Sebastian Aho scored the second goal for the Carolina Hurricanes after getting to the net and tapping in a shot by Andrei Svechknikov.

Getting to the net is as important as ever against Henrik Lundqvist. The formula the Hurricanes used today of testing Lundqvist at every opportunity and posting at the net proved successful.

Another power-play unit standout was blueliner Sami Vatanen, who made his presence known in today’s game. Not only did Vatanen perform well on the power-play unit, I think that he began to make a case for a contract with the team.

One change I would like to see for Monday’s game is the number of penalties that the Hurricanes take.  Both teams traded numerous power plays, and that only increased the Rangers’ chances at scoring. However, the penalty kill for the Hurricanes was elite and gave the Rangers very little room to work with.

The Ranger’s second goal was a shorthanded goal towards the end of a Cane’s power play. The Canes have to keep up the pressure on the Rangers at all times to prevent any scoring opportunities like this one. Despite this goal, I think the power play and penalty kill units for the Canes were fantastic.

The last takeaway is all about how the Canes’ netminder gave the team the chance to pull ahead.

King Petr

The Carolina Hurricanes got the help needed in the net.

Petr Mrazek was in playoff form as he proved instrumental in the win over the Rangers.

I will admit that I was skeptical of Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour‘s decision to start Petr Mrazek in the net today. Reimer was hot in the last half of the exhibition game against the Washington Capitals, and I thought that he was the right choice solely based on that game.

However, I suspect that part of Brind’Amour’s thinking rested on Mrazek’s performance for the Carolina Hurricanes in last year’s playoffs, as he repeatedly stood on his head to carry the Canes through the playoffs.

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Mrazek was in nothing short of playoff form today. He was strong in the crease, but not afraid to venture out in vintage fashion for poke checks or to play the puck to an awaiting player. Although the Canes’ offensive performance will be the most remembered part of this contest, the offense couldn’t have succeeded without Mrazek anchoring the defense.

I wouldn’t hesitate to start Mrazek on Monday for game two. Because game three takes place on Tuesday, it might be a wise idea to start Reimer to prevent Mrazek from getting burnt out. Luckily, because Reimer played so well against the Capitals, I don’t think it would be a difficult decision.

I can’t say enough how impressed I am with this organization. The time off was no doubt difficult for every organization in the league, but the Hurricanes seem to be focused and prepared for a playoff run. The Canes built a strong foundation for the series against the Rangers by getting to the net, playing physically, and relying on strong goaltending.