Right now, the Carolina Hurricanes are playing an incredibly long waiting game to find out their next opponent. The Canes earned their way to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in four years by sweeping the Flyers. Meanwhile, the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens are stuck at two wins apiece in the second round on the Atlantic side.
Buffalo's 3-2 win on Tuesday night ensures that the series will go at least six games. They'll meet on Thursday in Buffalo and on Saturday in Montreal, opening up the weekend for the Hurricanes' players and fans alike. It likely means that Game 1 of the next round won't come until Tuesday, if the series is finished in six games, or later if it goes the distance.
Regardless of how long it takes, the Canes will square off with an opponent they've met in the postseason before, a first-time occurrence for them this postseason. In the case of both Buffalo and Montreal, it would be the first time they've met in the playoffs in 20 years, setting up a few interesting storylines to watch as the series unfolds.
Montreal and Buffalo were part of the Canes' journey to the Stanley Cup
It's almost fitting that the team they play in the Eastern Conference Finals is one of the three teams they beat on their road to the Stanley Cup Final in 2006, especially during the 20th anniversary of the team hoisting the Stanley Cup. Both series were grueling tests for the '06 team, providing some big moments in franchise history.
Their clash with the Canadiens was the second time they'd met since relocation, but the franchise had plenty of history with Montreal in the playoffs during the Hartford days. Between 1986 and 1992, the Whalers and the Canadiens met four times. At the end of all four series, the Habs sent the Whalers packing, ending their season. That changed in 2002, when the Hurricanes won in six games.
To their credit, the Canadiens had the Hurricanes on the ropes during the Conference Quarterfinals in 2006. Winning both games in Raleigh by scoring a combined 12 goals, they had complete control once the series shifted to Montreal. A change in the net and an overtime win in Game 3 turned the series around, as the Canes won four straight to finish the Habs in six games once again.
After a quick series with the Devils in the Conference Semifinals, the East's spot in the Stanley Cup Final came down to the Hurricanes and the Buffalo Sabres. These two teams were as similar as they came, right down to the rookie netminders in the crease. They traded wins through four games, with Buffalo winning Games 1 and 3, and the Hurricanes claiming Games 2 and 4.
The momentum turned in Game 5 after Cory Stillman won it in overtime, giving the Canes consecutive wins, the first time it had happened in the series, and putting them one win away from advancing. Buffalo responded with an overtime win in Game 6, setting up the biggest game in franchise history to that point. Rod Brind'Amour's heroics won them the series and the conference.
There are plenty of reasons to be afraid of both teams in the next round
While some are giving credit to the Hurricanes where it's due after consecutive sweeps, there's a vocal minority who refuse to give the group props for what they've done to this point. In the eyes of some, the Canes are yet to be tested, seeing Ottawa and Philadelphia as easy opponents, ignoring that they earned this path by finishing with the best record in the conference.
However, there is legitimate credence to the notion that the Canes will face their toughest test in the next round, regardless of the opponent. Carolina finished with the most points in the conference, but the Atlantic had the next five teams, including the Sabres in second (109) and the Canadiens tied for third (106). For reference, Ottawa and Philadelphia finished sixth and eighth, respectively.
Outside of a one-sided 6-3 Carolina win in November that only looked closer because of a third-period push, the Canes played one of their worst games of the season in Buffalo before Thanksgiving, and their 2-1 war on MLK Day in January was as thrilling a game as we saw all season. Brandon Bussi, quite literally, stole the game for the Canes on that Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, there's no evidence to suggest that the Canes can beat the Canadiens this season. Montreal swept the three-game set, including a pair of games in Raleigh. The Habs' top line was all over the season series, and Jakub Dobes was a man on a mission in both games this past March, giving the Canes fits. He's done that, for the most part, this postseason, too.
We'll continue to be concerned about "rest vs. rust" by the time the Canes get back on the ice. Until then, we'll let the Sabres and the Canadiens go back and forth while beating each other up. There's nothing we can do about it. All we can do is wait for it to work itself out. There are more pressing issues for the Canes to deal with, as far as the conference finals are concerned.
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