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Carolina Hurricanes: Series Preview vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

By Conor Power

TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 19: Alex Killorn #17 of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Jake Gardiner #51 of the Carolina Hurricanes fight during a game at Amalie Arena on April 19, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 19: Alex Killorn #17 of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Jake Gardiner #51 of the Carolina Hurricanes fight during a game at Amalie Arena on April 19, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MAY 27: Teuvo Teravainen #86, Jaccob Slavin #74, and Brock McGinn #23 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate after scoring a goal during overtime for a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators in Game Six of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena on May 27, 2021, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MAY 27: Teuvo Teravainen #86, Jaccob Slavin #74, and Brock McGinn #23 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate after scoring a goal during overtime for a 4-3 victory over the Nashville Predators in Game Six of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bridgestone Arena on May 27, 2021, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

Overall

It’s no secret this series is a tough, daunting task that the Canes will have to endure. Discipline will be essential because Tampa’s powerplay is capable of firing home on the best of penalty kills. Making the most of its own powerplays has to be the memo for the Carolina Hurricanes in this series. Special teams could be the deciding factor throughout this series.

Can the Canes win this series? 100%. If Tampa Bay starts looking to Round 3 before they beat the Canes, they will get themselves into a heap of trouble. However, Carolina is the slight underdog in this series despite winning the Central Division. It’s nothing to do with Carolina, but a revitalized reigning Cup champion getting someone with the talent of Kucherov back this late in the season is pivotal.

Carolina will have home ice advantage, but both Carolina and Tampa won on the road in the first round, which is why their respective series finished early. If Carolina can hold serve at PNC Arena, they can get through this series. Making PNC Arena a fortress has been something the Canes have done well in the past when they’ve made it deep into the postseason.

If the Carolina Hurricanes are to progress past the 2nd round, they will need a strong performance from every player on the roster. There can be no passengers to knock the defending Stanley Cup Champions out. It’s a task that most teams would view as impossible. For Carolina, there’s a path through this opposition. It’s very difficult, but if they want to win the cup, they will need to perform.

If the Carolina Hurricanes want to be the best, they will need to beat the best.

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