The Carolina Hurricanes Dominate Game One Against The Rangers

The Carolina Hurricanes took game one against the Rangers

Here are three takeaways from the Hurricanes’ dominant win against the New York Rangers in game one of the qualifying round series.

Wow, folks, Caniacs around the world have been blessed with the return of playoff hockey, and what a fantastic way for the Carolina Hurricanes to start the qualifying round against the New York Rangers. The Hurricanes start the series with a lead after a 3-2 win in the series opener.

Rink rust seemed to be a thing of the past for the Carolina Hurricanes. The team not only played one of the best games of their season, but the Canes were also a picture of what fans love about playoff hockey. If this is any indication of what the playoffs have in store for fans, then this will be one of the defining Stanley Cup playoff races of NHL history.

I don’t have many criticisms of the Carolina Hurricanes performance today. It was the definition of a team effort. The Svechnikov-Aho-Teravinen line was elite, newcomers Trocheck, Vatanen, and Skjei proved that they are a part of the team, and Mrazek was in playoff form reminiscent of the Canes’ deep playoff run last season.

The Rangers are not a team to take lightly, and the work for the Carolina Hurricanes is far from over.  However, the Hurricanes proved today that they are a serious contender for the Stanley Cup. The first takeaway was without a doubt the defining storyline of today’s contest.

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.

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.