Thoughts From My Couch

For the first time during this series, the Stanley Cup was in the building. The Carolina Hurricanes got the first crack at trying to win the 35 lbs. of silver after a big win in Game 5. With 15 wins completed, they came into Sunday hunting for the 16th and final victory of the postseason. On the other side, the Vegas Golden Knights were trying to keep their hopes alive. Facing elimination for the first time during these playoffs, the Golden Knights had the crowd advantage, looking to their fans for the extra motivation as they sought to return the series to Raleigh for one final game. With clear goals in front of them, it would take 60 minutes of execution to either realize a dream or prolong the Stanley Cup Final. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (3:47)- Taylor Hall (7) (Jaccob Slavin (5) & Jackson Blake (13)) 2nd Period CAR (13:31)- Jackson Blake (7) (Logan Stankoven (5)) 3rd Period CAR (18:52-EN)- Nikolaj Ehlers (8) (unassisted) My Thoughts If you wanted an exciting conclusion to ...

It's the biggest game of the season, and it's going down in Raleigh, North Carolina. It has been a wild few days, with the Canes drawing even with the Golden Knights on Tuesday, sending us back to the Lenovo Center in a 2-2 tie. All eyes have been on the goalie situation for the Canes. Brandon Bussi was solid in his first postseason start, but there were still lingering questions heading into tonight's contest. However, it appears that things will remain in place for Game 5, with Bussi back in the net and Pyotr Kochetkov backing him up. Otherwise, it's business as usual for the Canes, in the loosest sense of the word. There is nothing normal about their current predicament. They're two wins from the Stanley Cup, but none of that matters. All that they can control is what's in front of them. You can't look to the future without playing tonight, and all eyes will be on Game 5. Scoring Summary 1st Period VGK (6:54-PP)- Pavel Dorofeyev (11) (Jack Eichel (19) ...

After days of anticipation, the final reveal for the Carolina Hurricanes' starting goalie in Game 4 still left us with a little bit of a bombshell. As many had been clamoring for, Brandon Bussi made his first career postseason start tonight, with the Canes in desperate need of a win to even the series before returning to Raleigh. However, while Bussi was the starter, Frederik Andersen wasn't dressed. Instead, Pyotr Kochetkov served as the backup. While the team listed Andersen as a scratch, it's hard to believe that he'd completely disappear from the lineup without cause. I think the hit he took to the head from Ivan Barbashev was worse than they'd initially anticipated. Nevertheless, the Canes had to soldier on, trying to draw even against a tough Vegas squad. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (1:06)- Logan Stankoven (11) (Jalen Chatfield (7) & Jackson Blake (12)) CAR (3:28)- Jackson Blake (6) (Taylor Hall (12) & Nikolaj Ehlers (6)) VGK (7:32)- Mark Stone (7) ...

We have a new series on our hands, and the Carolina Hurricanes must be feeling very good about that. After generating next to nothing for 50 minutes, the Canes found a little life in the series, scoring three straight goals, giving up the tying goal late in regulation, and winning it in overtime to even the series at 1-1 with Vegas. With both games in Raleigh behind them, it was time to take the trip to Las Vegas to begin the next miniature segment. The Golden Knights, despite the loss on Thursday, have to feel pretty good about their spot as well. Home ice is now in their favor after winning Game 1, giving them a chance to use the crowd and the last change to their advantage. Carolina has been perfect on the road thus far this postseason, so there's a little bit of confidence joining them as they try to get ahead in the series for the first time. Scoring Summary 1st Period None 2nd Period VGK (10:26-PP)- Tomas Hertl (5) (Jack Eichel (18) & Mitch Marner (18)) VGK (10:42)- Mitch...

It's a new day, which means it's a chance for the Carolina Hurricanes to win Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. I still haven't gotten over the fact that I'm writing about the Canes being in the Stanley Cup Final. Game 1 wasn't bad, per se, but it certainly wasn't good. It was incredibly entertaining, which is probably not what the Canes were going for. They prefer things to stay boring, as do I. A 5-4 finish marked just the second time that the team has allowed three or more goals this postseason, and they've lost both times. It's the first time they've lost when scoring at least three times. Still, there is plenty of series left to be played, but for the Canes' sake, they really needed to win Game 2. Scoring Summary 1st Period VGK (13:33)- Brett Howden (12) (Mitch Marner (16)) 2nd Period VGK (7:23)- Brett Howden (13) (Ivan Barbashev (8) & Noah Hanifin (7)) 3rd Period CAR (10:20)- Logan Stankoven (10) (unassisted) CAR (12:46)- Mark Jankowski (...

The moment has finally arrived for the Carolina Hurricanes. After 20 years and numerous frustrations, they'll begin their quest for the Stanley Cup on Tuesday night. Very little has gone wrong during the Canes' run to the fourth round. They've lost one game through the first three rounds, making it look way easier than it probably has been. That won't be the case in the Stanley Cup Final. The Vegas Golden Knights might've lost more games than they won during the regular season, but they've looked like a juggernaut since John Tortorella took over with eight games remaining in the regular season. They have the high-end skill to give the Canes fits. This series won't be for the faint of heart, though I have no doubt that the Lenovo Center will be absolutely rocking for tonight's opener. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (0:25)- Nikolaj Ehlers (5) (Jaccob Slavin (3) & Jalen Chatfield (5)) CAR (12:08)- Nikolaj Ehlers (6) (Jalen Chatfield (6)) VGK (13:28)- Sh...

M1. Carolina Hurricanes  vs.  P1. Vegas Golden Knights Carolina's Path : No team has gotten to the Stanley Cup Final in fewer games than the Hurricanes did this season. They needed 13 games over three rounds to reach the Stanley Cup Final. They swept both Ottawa and Philadelphia on the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. After dropping the first game, 6-2, to the Montreal Canadiens, the Canes won the next four contests to secure the Prince of Wales Trophy. Taylor Hall sits third in the league with 16 points, helping to drive a line with Jackson Blake (5-10-15) and Logan Stankoven (9-3-12) that has been the best in the league this postseason. Frederik Andersen has experienced a Renaissance, so to speak, going 12-1 with a 1.41 GAA and a .931 save percentage. Vegas' Path : It might've taken Vegas a few more games than Carolina, but they've been just as impressive. They faced a tough test against Utah in the first round, trailing 2-1 in the series and 4-3 midway through t...

The Carolina Hurricanes have a chance to finish the job. They need one more win. One more 60-minute effort like they have in Game 4. One more complete buy-in from the entire team on the ice. They bent the Canadiens to their will on Wednesday night. It wasn't the most exciting game to watch, but that's how we like these games to go. There's no chance that the Canadiens will be that easy to put away tonight, which is why I'm expecting to see their absolute best in Game 5. You know that they'll get the goaltending possible from Jakub Dobes, making this fourth win incredibly hard to come by. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (9:17)- Taylor Hall (5) (Logan Stankoven (2) & Jackson Blake (10)) CAR (15:12)- Logan Stankoven (9) (Taylor Hall (10) & Alexander Nikishin (1)) CAR (16:52)- Eric Robinson (3) (William Carrier (3)) 2nd Period CAR (7:19)- Jackson Blake (5) (Taylor Hall (11) & Logan Stankoven (3)) CAR (18:02-PP)- Shayne Gostisbehere (2) (Seth Jarvis (5) & ...

Some might think that the Hurricanes are lucky to be up 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Whether it be poor officiating or other outside influences, the Canes are in a good spot, but they still have so much more to give in this series. Their defense has limited Montreal to just 25 shots combined over the last two games. However, the fact that both games have gone to overtime shows that Montreal is getting goals at the right moments to stick around while Jakub Dobes stands on his head. The Canes must find a way to pull away from Montreal in regulation, much like they did in Game 1, to hand the Canes their first loss of the postseason. Otherwise, the Canes face the prospect of returning to Raleigh in a tied series, and anything can happen in a best-of-three set. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (14:59-PP)- Sebastian Aho (4) (Nikolaj Ehlers (3) & Shayne Gostisbehere (3)) CAR (16:07)- Jordan Staal (2) (K'Andre Miller (8) & Nikolaj Ehlers (4)) CAR (17:46)- Logan Stankoven (8)...

We might be all square in the series, but the Montreal Canadiens enter Game 3 with a little more control over their destiny. However, the Carolina Hurricanes have a little momentum back in their favor after tying the series at a game apiece with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 2. Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice in the game, including the deciding goal early in extra time. As the series moves to Montreal, the message should remain the same for both teams. The series is still up for grabs in what has become a best-of-five.  Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (8:24)- Shayne Gostisbehere (1) (Mark Jankowski (4) & Eric Robinson (3)) MTL (15:28)- Mike Matheson (2) (Ivan Demidov (6) & Jake Evans (8)) CAR (16:22)- Taylor Hall (4) (K'Andre Miller (7) & Jackson Blake (8)) 2nd Period MTL (4:43-PP)- Lane Hutson (3) (Cole Caufield (7) & Jakub Dobes (1)) 3rd Period None Overtime CAR (14:06)- Sebastian Aho (4) (Andrei Svechnikov (4) & Seth Jarvis (4)) My Thoughts There were questions a...

If you've been a fan of this team long enough, you know that what happened during Game 1 has happened more lately than we'd like to remember. Then again, everyone knows that the real sign of things to come will be shown during Game 2. The Canes have never lost in the conference finals when they win the second game of the series to even it up. To do that tonight, the Canes need to remember what got them to this point. They looked lost for most of the night in the neutral zone, leading to glorious chances for the Canadiens in the offensive zone. They must be better. Otherwise, those familiar feelings will start to come to the surface. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (2:33)- Eric Robinson (2) (William Carrier (2) & Mark Jankowski (2)) MTL (11:11)- Josh Anderson (4) (Phillip Danault (7) & Kaiden Guhle (8)) 2nd Period CAR (17:03)- Nikolaj Ehlers (3) (Jaccob Slavin (2) & Jalen Chatfield (2)) 3rd Period MTL (12:51)- Josh Anderson (5) (Alexandre Carrier (6) & Phillip Dan...

After a million years of waiting, the Carolina Hurricanes finally got back on the ice for something other than practice. It's time for the Eastern Conference Finals to begin, and the Canes have a few demons they need to exercise. The Montreal Canadiens have been through a lot to get to this point, while the Canes have dreamt of this moment for the last 12 days. The Canes are rolling with the same group they've trusted for most of the postseason, trying to find a way to stop Montreal's top contributors after struggling to do so during the regular season. The Lenovo Center was rocking as the Caniacs hoped this year would finally be the year. It would all start with a good Game 1. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (0:33)- Seth Jarvis (2) (Andrei Svechnikov (3) & Sebastian Aho (2) MTL (1:00)- Cole Caufield (5) (Juraj Slafkovsky (6) & Nick Suzuki (10)) MTL (4:04)- Phillip Danault (2) (Alexandre Carrier (5)) MTL (8:11)- Alexandre Texier (4) (Phillip Danault (6) & Kaiden ...

Eastern Conference M1. Carolina Hurricanes  vs. A3. Montreal Canadiens  Second Round Series : The Hurricanes swept their way into the conference finals, finishing the Flyers in four games and enduring a nearly two-week wait. The Canadiens went the distance for the second round in a row, beating the Buffalo Sabres in overtime in Game 7 to advance. Season Series : The Canadiens swept all three games against the Hurricanes this season, including two games in Raleigh. They met twice in March, both ending in multi-goal victories for the Habs behind stellar goaltending from Jakub Dobes. Postseason History : The Hurricanes and the Canadiens have met two times in the postseason since the Canes relocated to Raleigh. The Canes won both series in six games, beating them in the Conference Semifinals in 2002 and the Conference Quarterfinals in 2006 as part of their Stanley Cup run. Prediction : I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't concerned about the Canes inability to beat the Canadiens d...

The Carolina Hurricanes had a golden opportunity to finish the job on Saturday night. One win away from the Eastern Conference Finals, almost everything has gone the Canes' way to this point in the playoffs. In some ways, we're waiting for the shoe to drop and something to happen that derails this perfect ride. In other ways, we're sitting anxiously and hoping that the ride never ends. With their season on the line, the Flyers would need significantly more life and fight than they showed for most of Game 3. They're a team beaming with potential, but injuries and the Canes' defense have prevented their offense from getting started. With Owen Tippett still out, they needed to do everything in their power to get the series back to Raleigh. Scoring Summary 1st Period PHI (7:50)- Tyson Foerster (1) (Trevor Zegras (4) & Porter Martone (3)) 2nd Period CAR (12:35)- Jackson Blake (3) (K'Andre Miller (6) & Taylor Hall (7)) 3rd Period CAR (4:13)- Logan Stankoven (7...

The chance to commandeer the series was in the Hurricanes' laps on Thursday night. A win in Game 3 in front of the Flyers faithful would put them one win closer to the conference finals for the third time in four seasons, but they needed a stronger start and a more complete 60-minute effort if they had any hopes of doing so on the road. The Canes welcomed Alexander Nikishin back to the lineup after two games missed with a concussion. Meanwhile, the Flyers are dealing with some key injuries up front. Along with the continued absence of Owen Tippett, who missed his third straight game, Noah Cates is done for the series, and Christian Dvorak, while still playing, is going through something as well. The Canes had their opportunity. It would be on them to seize it. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (17:27-PP)- Jordan Staal (1) (Andrei Svechnikov (2) & Shayne Gostisbehere (1)) 2nd Period PHI (2:31)- Trevor Zegras (2) (Emil Andrae (1) & Porter Martone (2)) CAR (15:59-SH)- Jalen Chatf...

It's Star Wars Day, though I'm not quite sure what that has to do with tonight's contest between the Canes and the Flyers. Carolina got off to another good start in Game 1, shutting out the Flyers 3-0 to draw first blood. With this shutout win, the Canes needed to make sure that the Flyers' force hadn't been awakened and that they were given a new hope. The Canes turned to the same group from Saturday's win to get them a 2-0 series lead, while the Flyers sought revenge to even the series and snatch home ice in their favor before heading home later this week. Scoring Summary 1st Period PHI (4:02-PP)- Jamie Drysdale (2) (unassisted) PHI (4:41)- Sean Couturier (1) (Carl Grundstrom (1)) CAR (10:21-PP)- Nikolaj Ehlers (1) (Jackson Blake (5) & K'Andre Miller (4)) 2nd Period None 3rd Period CAR (11:21)- Seth Jarvis (1) (Nikolaj Ehlers (2) & Jordan Staal (2)) Overtime CAR (18:54)- Taylor Hall (3) (Jackson Blake (6) & Sean Walker (2)) My Thoughts I'm ...

Eastern Conference M1. Carolina Hurricanes vs. M3 Philadelphia Flyers First Round Series : The Hurricanes make quick work of the Ottawa Senators, sweeping them in four straight across a week. The Flyers got out to a 3-0 series lead against the Pittsburgh Penguins and held on to win the series in six games on Cam York's overtime winner. Season Series : Every regular-season meeting required more than 60 minutes to complete, with three won by the Hurricanes. Three of the four ended in the shootout, with the Canes winning the first two and Philadelphia winning the final contest. Postseason History : This is the first postseason meeting between the two franchises, marking the second straight first-time opponent for Carolina. Prediction : On paper, this series appears far more favorable for the Hurricanes than their encounter with the Senators. That doesn't mean it'll be any easier. The concern I have stems from the Canes' inability to win a game against them in regulation th...

It took a week to get back onto the ice for a game, but the Carolina Hurricanes waited patiently for the opportunity. It proved fruitful for the group, allowing Nikolaj Ehlers to return to the lineup after suffering injury before Game 4 against Ottawa. Alexander Nikishin was not ready to return just yet. As the top team in the East, the expectations remain sky high for the Canes, and they'll have a pesky division foe to contend with in the second round. The Philadelphia Flyers emerged victorious following the Battle of Pennsylvania, beating in-state rival Pittsburgh in six games to advance. They'll be without a valuable part of their offense, Owen Tippett, to start the series, but there is still plenty to keep the Canes busy. In the net, two incredible hot goalies will go at it. Frederik Andersen allowed just five goals during Carolina's sweep, while Dan Vladar closed the Flyers' series with a 42-save shutout. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (1:31)- Logan Stankoven (5) (...