This isn't a completely unfamiliar spot for the Carolina Hurricanes. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Canes lost Game 1 to the Canadiens before rattling off four straight victories. I'm not saying that will happen in this round. Besides, you can't win four in a row without winning the first one. The Canes haven't lost back-to-back games since January. They know the expectations now.
Game 1: The Canes got off to a quick start, with Nikolaj Ehlers scoring 25 seconds into the game and again just past the halfway point. However, Vegas got settled in, scoring three unanswered to take a 3-2 lead early in the second. The teams traded goals over the final two periods, but Tomas Hertl's tally late in the third proved to be the difference. Vegas won the opener, 5-4, to snatch home ice.
On the Other Side: Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights didn't play the cleanest game in the world, but they played a better game than the Canes after they fell into an early hole. Their experience in this round was a big part of their win. They beat the Canes in a different way than the Canadiens, scoring more with sustained pressure and forechecking than in transition and on odd-man chances.
It was an especially big game for Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb on the back end. Theodore made an ill-advised pinch on Ehlers' opening goal. He responded by scoring late in the first period and adding two assists, including the secondary helper on the game-winner. McNabb recorded the first three-assist game of his career in Game 1.
What to Watch in Game 2
It's time for the Canes' top line to do something: There have been rare flashes of brilliance for the Hurricanes' trio of Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Andrei Svechnikov this postseason. However, it has rarely been consistent. While finishing as three of the team's top four scorers during the regular season, they've combined for only 22 points in 14 games thus far in the playoffs.
In Game 1, they were hardly impactful. They had five total shots as a line in another scoreless effort. Svechnikov had the best night of the three, though it wasn't a very high bar to clear. The longer this drought goes, the louder the voices will get surrounding them. A good effort in Game 2 could silence some of the doubters, especially if it leads to a victory.
Time for the goalies to rebound: The porous nature of the opening game was especially felt in the net by Frederik Andersen and Carter Hart. Both looked very beatable throughout the night, combining for nine goals allowed. Hart was one better than Andersen in the net for Vegas, but he didn't play like the goalie who'd swept Colorado in the conference finals.
With neither goalie looking particularly good, the biggest question of the night will be which goalie bounces back the quickest. Both have been outstanding throughout their team's respective runs. Hart has only suffered back-to-back losses once in the postseason, while Andersen has only lost twice overall. The defenses in front of them need to tighten up, which would help significantly.
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