The wait was long after sweeping the Ottawa Senators. Finally, the Carolina Hurricanes are back on the ice, getting ready for their second series against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Canes finished the Senators in short order last weekend. It's the second best-of-seven sweep in franchise history, giving the group time to wait for their next opponent.
The charge against Ottawa was led by the Stankoven line and Frederik Andersen. The second-line trio combined for seven goals and 16 points in the series, with Logan Stankoven scoring a goal in each game and Taylor Hall leading the team with seven points. Andersen only allowed five goals in the series, posting a league-best 1.10 GAA and a .955 save percentage.
On the Other Side: Philadelphia Flyers
Season Series: It took overtime or a shootout during all four meetings this season. The Canes prevailed in the first three, winning in overtime in October and prevailing in a pair of shootouts in December. The Flyers' lone win came in the shootout in the second-to-last game, securing their spot in the playoffs as the Canes rested several starters for that contest.
With their late-season push, the Flyers qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2020. Finishing third in the division, the Flyers opened their postseason run against their in-state foes, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Things started smoothly, with the Flyers jumping out to a 3-0 series lead. They lost Games 4 and 5 as the Penguins fought to stay alive, but they finished the job in Game 6.
A big reason for their strong start against Pittsburgh was the man between the pipes. Dan Vladar was excellent throughout his first season in Philadelphia, and it carried into the first round. Vladar stood on his head for the first three games. He showed a few signs of being human during his two losses until he recorded a 42-save shutout during the series clincher.
The Flyers' offense didn't really take over the series at any point, scoring 16 goals in six contests. They scored more than three goals in a game just once, scoring five times in Game 3. Their power play also struggled, converting just twice on 17 attempts. Rasmus Ristolainen, who is playing in his first Stanley Cup Playoffs, led the team with five points against Pittsburgh.
What to Watch in Game 1
Rest vs. Rust: The Hurricanes haven't played since last Saturday in Ottawa, making this their first game in a week. This time off has been very beneficial to the Canes. Nikolaj Ehlers, who missed Game 4 with a lower-body injury, and Alexander Nikishin, who exited that game with a concussion, were back at practice on Friday. This leads me to believe that they will both be available tonight.
However, it's not often that you get a week off between games. With this much time off, the concern will be whether the Canes can pick up right where they left off. The only time this season that it happened was after February's Olympic break. They came out that break on fire, scoring three times in short order against Tampa in an eventual 5-4 win. Let's hope that they can do that again.
Nikishin and Ehlers return: By all accounts, it was a bit of a surprise that Nikolaj Ehlers didn't play in the series finale last weekend. That being said, with the Canes already holding a dominant lead in the series, sitting him made perfect sense. He didn't have the best opening round, providing just one assist, so he'll need to get rolling, like he was at the end of the season.
As for Alexander Nikishin, the hit that he took during the second period of Game 4 was tough, but it's clear that it looked much worse than it was. Don't get me wrong, a concussion is rough either way, and it's nothing to take lightly. However, that Nikishin has been back at practice and appears good to go is nothing short of incredible. He'll be one to watch closely as he gets back into the lineup.
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