Canes to return to the ice rested, ready and confident
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The Carolina Hurricanes last played at home over two weeks ago, on May 4. Photo: Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images
After 11 days of rest, the Carolina Hurricanes return to the ice Thursday to battle the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Why it matters: The Canes have another good shot at the Stanley Cup this season, but hockey fans are debating whether the downtime will affect the team's rhythm.
The intrigue: Over 100 years have passed since another NHL team has rested so long between playoff series, per The Athletic.
- Canes players have had enough free time to attend N.C. Courage games, play golf and run virtual 5K races. Two welcomed newborns, becoming fathers for the first time.
By the numbers: The Canes swept their first two opponents thanks to stellar play by goalie Frederik Andersen and balanced scoring from their other skaters.
- Since the playoffs began April 18, Carolina has only played eight games.
- The Canadiens, by contrast, have played 14. Knocking out the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres took them to overtime in Game 7 both series. They'll have just two days off.
What they're saying: Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said in a press conference that it wasn't "ideal to have this much time off," but that the shorter series have helped limit players' bumps and bruises.
- Brind'Amour also said that it's "OK to kind of get away from it a little bit," especially mentally, per The News & Observer.
- So did team captain Jordan Staal. "I don't know if people realize how stressed we can be, even on an off day. We're always thinking about the game," Staal said.
- Defenseman K'Andre Miller, one of the new dads, said the time off was a luxury. "Any time you can get away from the rink and put up your legs and get your mind away from the ice and a stick and a puck is nice and is a good reset."
What we're watching: Some of the team's stars played through the only break in the NHL's grinding 82-game regular season — the Olympics in February.
- Two of those medal winners, Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho, have yet to break out offensively in the playoffs, NHL.com writes.
- Team reporter Walt Ruff wrote that practices have been limited post-Olympics.
Catch up quick: This is the eighth straight year Carolina has made a playoff run.
- Three other times, the Canes have reached the Eastern Conference Finals, where their record is a disappointing 1-12.
Yes, but: As columnist Luke DeCock writes for The Assembly: "There's not a team left in the postseason that's ever beaten them in the playoffs; all their frequent nemeses have been wiped from the slate."
- "We've gone through a lot and we're hoping it'll be a different story," team captain Jordan Staal has said.
The bottom line: We won't know until the puck drops whether the rest made the Canes a little rusty or sharpened their resolve further, but there are reasons to be optimistic.
- The Canes didn't seem to lose a step when they had a week off between the Ottawa and Philadelphia series, and some of the team's top scorers still have another gear to unlock.
- "The practices are high pace, high intensity, and that's how you stay sharp physically," Aho said. "I have no worries about this team. We'll be ready whenever we start."
What's next: The puck drops at 8pm Thursday in Raleigh.
- Game 2 is at 7pm Saturday in Lenovo Center. After that, the series transitions to Montreal for Monday and Wednesday night games.