Hurricanes treating Game 6 against Bruins as ‘absolute must-win,’ hope to avoid Game 7
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Ian Cole has two Stanley Cup rings, and knows a thing or two about what it takes to win a playoff series.
His advice Thursday to the Canes: Win Game 6 against the Boston Bruins and avoid a Game 7, even if it would be back on home ice. Don’t take a chance, even with a 3-2 series lead.
“In my mind, Game 7s are a little bit of a coin flip, Cole said. “We’re going to try and avoid that at all costs. Absolute must-win and we’re going to match their level of desperation.”
Neither team has a road win in the series. The Canes have been dominant at PNC Arena, outscoring the Bruins 15-4 in taking three wins, while the Bruins responded with home wins in Games 3 and 4.
Carolina has scored four power-play goals while killing off 10 of 11 penalties in their three home wins. The Bruins outscored the Canes 9-4 in winning two games at TD Garden, scoring four power-play goals while going 10-for-10 on their penalty kill.
Why such a home-ice series?
“I don’t really have a good answer for that,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Wednesday before the team’s flight to Boston. “Obviously (at PNC Arena) it’s pretty electric. I know there’s a definite boost that you get. I never thought home-ice advantage was that big a deal. But when you get here (to PNC Arena) it certainly feels like there’s more electricity in the building.”
Need more from Necas
Brind’Amour didn’t single out Martin Necas, but he did have some interesting words to say about the forward when asked Thursday about his play in the playoffs.
Necas had two assists in the first five games despite getting his fair share of ice time. He’s slated to start on the Vincent Trocheck line with Teuvo Teravainen in Game 6.
“We expect more, for sure,” Brind’Amour said. “He’s been fine, but there’s more we’ve got to get out of him, for sure, if we’re going to advance because we need everybody to be at their best. You’re not going to beat this team unless you’ve got everybody going. He’s been OK, but I think there’s another level he can get to.”
Necas, who will be restricted free agent in the offseason, had an inconsistent season and some modest offensive numbers: 14 goals and 40 points in 78 games. The former first-round draft pick had one goal in the last 16 games of the regular season, and has had four shots in the first five games of the Bruins series while trying to find other ways to contribute.
“Everybody has got their role on the team and if you help on offense or defense, or block a shot or kill on the PK, it’s good for the team,” Necas said Thursday.
What’s up with Freddie?
With each passing day, the question is more pressing: When will goalie Frederik Andersen be healthy enough to return and play?
Brind’Amour has been asked several times if Andersen, injured April 16 at Colorado, is close to returning or not so close to getting back. His answer has been the same: “Closer.”
“He hasn’t had a full practice yet,” Brind’Amour said Wednesday. “Until that happens, I don’t expect him.”
Keep it simple
The Canes’ game plan for Thursday is a simple one: replicate their play from Tuesday in Game 5.
“We got a lot of pucks to the net,” defeneseman Brady Skjei said. “Create some chaos. And we played strong defensively, so we’ve got to keep doing that.”
The Canes had a series-high 38 shots in Game 5, and Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman allowed more rebounds than he did in the previous two games.
Of note
▪ With all the talk about the Canes’ Seth Jarvis scoring twice in Game 5 — and hitting the post with another attempt — the rookie forward also filled out the stat sheet quite nicely.
Jarvis had a team-high eight shots, tied for the team high with four hits, led the Canes with four takeaways and blocked two shots. He also won one of his two faceoffs.
▪ The Canes have gotten 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) from their defensemen in the series, a total second only to Colorado.
▪ Teuvo Teravainen’s three assists in Game 5 were a career high in the playoffs. It also was the forward’s first three-point playoff game.
