Never mind the nostalgia, which is here, there and everywhere.
At some point on Thursday, Paul Maurice will take a moment to look around his former stomping grounds and remember the highs and lows of his two tours of duty as the head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes.
And there will definitely come a time for the entire Staal family to look back fondly on a time when three of the hockey playing brothers from Thunder Bay, Ont., went toe-to-toe for a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup.
But for the time being, the Eastern Conference Final between the Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers is nothing more than a clash of titans, an opportunity for one of these two teams to move on and face either the Vegas Golden Knights or Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Final.
Given his vast wealth of experience, Maurice understands his time with the Hurricanes is going to be part of the fabric of the story that will be told going into what figures to be a highly entertaining series between two former Southeast Division rivals.
Yet, for all the scene setting that will include reminiscing about two trips to the Eastern Conference Final and one trip to the Stanley Cup Final before losing to the Detroit Red Wings in 2002, when the puck drops at PNC Arena on Thursday (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT, Sportsnet and SN NOW), none of that will matter one bit to Maurice in the present.
The road to this point of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has been an interesting one, to say the least, with the Panthers relishing the role of underdog in knocking off the top-seeded and record-setting Boston Bruins in the seventh game in the opening round, then stunning the hockey world once again by ousting the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games, moving Maurice into the fourth conference final of his coaching career.
For the Hurricanes, it’s mostly been a business-like approach in knocking off the New York Islanders in six games and New Jersey Devils in five.
This is a group that’s enjoyed plenty of regular-season success, had a taste of the playoffs over the past few seasons and was supposed to be ready to take the next step, at least until an Achilles injury to Max Pacioretty and a torn ACL for Andrei Svechnikov sent the two high-scoring wingers to the sidelines, reducing them to the role of spectator.
As if that wasn’t enough to overcome, fellow forward Teuvo Teravainen suffered a hand injury in Game 2 of the opening-round series with the Islanders, taking another potent weapon out of the Hurricanes lineup.
Instead of wilting under the pressure and leaning on the excuse of not having enough offensive catalysts to persevere, the injuries seemed to have galvanized the Hurricanes. What is surprising is that the team is scoring at an even higher rate, all the while playing a structured style that has made it difficult for the opponent to penetrate.
As Maurice pointed out to reporters in Florida earlier this week, there are certainly similarities when it comes to the style these two teams play.
There’s a lot of tenaciousness and D-zone commitment to go along with the strong goaltending.
There are stars who deserve more attention than they’re getting, and there are complementary players who have also been shining, often while playing expanded roles.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the storylines of this series:
WHICH GOALIE WILL SHINE BRIGHTEST?
Four goalies for the Hurricanes and the Panthers have started at least three games in these playoffs, but that doesn’t mean we will necessarily see all four slide into the crease. There is no debating who will be getting the start in goal for Game 1, as it will be Frederik Andersen versus Sergei Bobrovsky, both of whom are playing at a high level after not starting these playoffs carrying the mail. Andersen was dealing with illness and a minor injury, while Bobrovsky lost the starting job down the stretch to Alex Lyon, who started the first three games for the Panthers before Bobrovsky re-entered the mix.
Both the raw statistics and underlying levels have been impressive, with Bobrovsky sitting atop the goals saved above expected (9.3) in 10 games (including nine consecutive starts) and Andersen sitting third (3.9) in his six starts, according to MoneyPuck. Bobrovsky rocked a 1.89 goals-against average and .943 save percentage in the second round against the Maple Leafs. Can Bobrovsky or Andersen provide separation in this series? If the answer is yes, that could ultimately be the difference between two pretty evenly matched teams.
THE DEFENSIVE GEMS
Although neither Brent Burns or Brandon Montour was a finalist for the Norris Trophy, each deserved plenty of consideration for the award handed out to the top defenceman.
Burns has brought another element to an already sound Hurricanes defence corps, given his ability to activate on the rush and get his shot through from the point. He’s a big, strong guy who can bring a physical component. Burns was tied for third among D-men for goals scored during the regular season and he racked up 61 points, which was good for 12th. He’s got two goals and eight points in 11 playoff games so far and contributes both at even-strength and on the power play. Burns is up to 105 career playoff games, and he’s in pursuit of his first Stanley Cup after reaching the final with the San Jose Sharks in 2016.
Montour nearly doubled his point total from last season (73 points from 37) and delivered a career high in goals (16) for the Panthers. He’s a minute muncher who is dangerous off the rush and often helps facilitate a clean zone exit.
And although we’re highlighting the most offensive D-men, Burns’ partner, Jaccob Slavin, is one of the best blue-liners in the NHL and he will play a massive role in trying to keep the Panthers’ offensive weapons in check.
THE TKACHUK FACTOR
Speaking of offensive weapons, Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk has been a force in these playoffs, showing the world why he’s right in the mix for the Hart Trophy (which Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid will ultimately claim). More importantly, Tkachuk has been a driver for this Panthers team and is a front-runner to win the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP, combining point production (five goals, 16 points) with physical play as an emotional leader who also can get under the skin of an opponent and often get them off their game.
THE FINNISH FLASHES
The folks in Finland will surely be staying up late to watch Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov and Hurricanes centre Sebastian Aho going head-to-head for the first time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. These are two true stars who take pride in a 200-foot game and can leave an imprint on a series in various ways.
Teravainen skated on the Hurricanes’ second line in practice on Wednesday and looks like he’s ready to return to game action, which would provide a big boost. Jesperi Koktaniemi has three goals and six points in 11 games and is providing important complementary scoring, while goalie Antti Raanta helped the Hurricanes reach this point and is ready to answer the call again. Jesse Puljujarvi is likely to start the series as a healthy scratch for the Hurricanes, but time will tell if he can work his way back into the lineup.
The Panthers also have Finns Anton Lundell and Eetu Luostarinen (a former member of the Hurricanes who played eight games for them in 2019-20) on the third line with Sam Reinhart, and they’ve contributed nicely so far.
THE UNSUNG HEROES
Raise your hand if you had Hurricanes winger Jordan Martinook putting up 10 points in five games during the second round after being held off the scoresheet against the Islanders.
Can you believe the Hurricanes placed Martinook on waivers back in early October and that all 31 teams passed, many because of concerns about the second year that was left on his contract that carries an average annual value of $1.8 million? Safe to say plenty of those teams would like a mulligan on that one.
Martinook is a high-character player who plays with great energy and can chip in offensively, and it will be interesting to see if he can keep this heater going. Jesper Fast has also done an excellent job of chipping in, with five goals and eight points in 11 games, including scoring the series clincher against the Devils.
For the Panthers, Nick Cousins has found a home on the left wing with Sam Bennett and Tkachuk, and he delivered a series clincher of his own against the Maple Leafs in overtime for his first game-winning goal in what was his 42nd post-season game. You can count on several more unsung heroes stepping to the forefront here.
WHICH STAAL(S) WILL ADVANCE?
One of the brothers, either Jordan Staal or Eric Staal, is going to have an opportunity to potentially add to his Stanley Cup collection, while Marc Staal could go back to the final for the second time and have a chance to chase his first ring, depending on how things go over the next two weeks.
Jordan, 34, is likely to have the biggest impact in this series with the Hurricanes, as the captain and two-way force who was on many Selke ballots for his superb play this season. After collecting 17 goals and 34 points in 78 games during the regular season, Staal has upped his production in the post-season, with two goals and eight points. The other thing to remember is that he is comfortable playing in traffic and is used in almost all situations. He was a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009 when his team swept the Hurricanes and older brother Eric (who was the Hurricanes captain) in the Eastern Conference Final. The Penguins captured the Stanley Cup in 2009, which is the last time Jordan advanced to the league final.
Eric, 38, is the Panthers’ fourth-line centre but he produced 14 goals and 29 points during the regular season, while Marc, 36, is playing on the second pairing with Montour and looking to get back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2014, when he was a member of the New York Rangers and lost to the Los Angeles Kings in five games. Playoff experience, which includes a Cup victory for Eric with the Hurricanes in 2006, should come in handy here as many of the Panthers will be playing in their first Eastern Conference Final.
