By the thinnest of margins, the Carolina Hurricanes have skated out to a 2-0 series lead in their opening-round matchup against the Ottawa Senators. It certainly hasn't been easy, needing a shutout in Game 1 and double overtime to secure Game 2. Nevertheless, they don't ask how this time of year, so the Canes will gladly take their advantage.
With the series shifting to Ottawa and two days separating Games 2 and 3, I wanted to take a quick look at what we've seen from the two teams and their coaching staffs through the first two contests. Some of these developments have been a surprise, while others feel like the status quo for these adversaries.
1. Goaltending has been a positive story for both sides
If there is one story that has dominated the start of this series, it has been the outstanding play of Frederik Andersen and Linus Ullmark. During the regular season, the Canes and the Sens were among the worst in save percentage in the league, with Ullmark posting a .891 and Andersen finishing sixth from the bottom with a .874.
I know it's early to be looking at numbers, especially since only three series have played two games, but Andersen leads the league in GAA (0.78) and save percentage (.967), and Ullmark has faced and stopped the most shots (70 saves on 75 shots). They've combined to make at least the five best saves of the playoffs thus far, going tit-for-tat deep into the night in Game 2.
Most importantly, they aren't allowing many soft goals. Of the seven combined goals allowed, I'd only classify two as being bad, those being Logan Stankoven's opening goal in Game 1 and Dylan Cozens' tying goal in Game 2. Ullmark has given his team every chance to win a game. Obviously, I don't expect these numbers to persist through the end of the series, but it is a promising start for both.
2. Leading scorers have been largely absent from the scoresheet
In a series that features a ton of offensive weaponry at the very top, we've yet to see much of it result in scoring for either side. The Canes' top four scorers (Aho, Ehlers, Svechnikov, Jarvis) have combined for two points, with Sebastian Aho scoring a goal in Game 2 and Nikolaj Ehlers assisting on the overtime winner.
However, there hasn't been much improvement for Ottawa either. Their top four from the regular season (Stutzle, Batherson, Cozen, Tkachuk) did provide both of their goals in Game 2, but nothing further. Jake Sanderson is the only Senator with multiple points (2 assists), while the Stankoven line combined for the first three Carolina goals, giving them three points each.
It certainly hasn't been for a lack of trying. Stutzle has six shots and hit the post in overtime. Tkachuk has eight shots and was stoned in each game by Andersen. Andrei Svechnikov has a series-high 13 shots without a point. I'm looking for Seth Jarvis to show me something because he has been largely absent in the offensive zone. The Canes will need everyone to step up, especially their top line.
3. The Canes' penalty kill is still really good
It's a little wild to believe that this season was the Hurricanes' "worst" penalty kill under Rod Brind'Amour. It's the first time in eight years that the team finished outside of the Top 10 in kill percentage, finishing right on the outside in 11th. However, from the work we've seen from them in the first two games, they look like a well-oiled machine.
The Canes' kill has gone 7-for-7 thus far, and they've made it look easy more often than not. In Game 1, their first few kills were spectacular before Andersen was out of his mind on their third attempt. In Game 2, they limited the Senators to one shot on three attempts, outshooting them 2-1 while short-handed.
On the flip side, the Canes only had one chance on the power play during the second game, scoring in the first period after going 0-for-5 in Game 1. It's an area that needs to be much improved for the Canes as they head to Ottawa. However, if their penalty kill can prevent Ottawa's power play from taking over games, they should be in good shape.
4. Defenseman deployment has been vastly different
If there's one roster advantage that the Hurricanes have enjoyed through two games, it's their superior depth. Their fourth line was still getting good ice time late in Game 2. In no area has that been more evident than on defense. The Canes' depth and trust in the system have allowed all six to be deployed relatively evenly, while Ottawa has overly relied on a select few.
Take Game 2's times on ice, for example. Jake Sanderson played over 42 minutes, Thomas Chabot eclipsed 40 minutes, and Jordan Spence played just under 40. Meanwhile, their third pair didn't reach 16 minutes. On the other side, K'Andre Miller paced the Canes with just under 35 minutes played, and Jaccob Slavin played almost 34. Every defenseman on the Canes played almost 25 minutes.
Artem Zub's injury in Game 1 is a major factor, and not having Tyler Kleven in the lineup hasn't helped matters either. However, even if they were both healthy, it likely wouldn't stop Sanderson and Chabot from playing ungodly minutes in each game. They both played almost half of Game 1. The two-day break allows for some recovery, though one would think it could prove detrimental in the long run.
5. It has been as close a series as many said it would be
Not to be the master of the obvious point, but this series has been tight. If you're a fan of high-anxiety hockey, the first two games of this matchup must've felt like Christmas. You might be shocked to learn that I'm not particularly fond of these close games. I'd much rather the Canes jump out to a massive lead and hold it for the duration of the game. If only life were that simple.
The Senators were seen as a dark horse candidate to do some damage in the playoffs, and I've said multiple times that this would be the Canes' toughest opening opponent in a long time. Through two games, that sentiment remains evergreen. We've seen flashes of fight from the New York Islanders in the first round in years past, but this is on a different level.
The Hurricanes can't take this 2-0 lead for granted. They're about to enter a hostile barn in Ottawa, with fans hoping to spark something in their group that has come so close to winning a game in Raleigh. If the Canes can manage a win over their next two games, they'll put themselves in a great spot to finish the job next Monday. Or they could go ahead and get it done in Canada's capital.
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