Resilience: A game into the Second Round, the Canes are facing their first series deficit of this postseason. But it's just one game, and a best-of-seven against the defending Stanley Cup champions figured to be a grind and a battle. This Canes group has been resilient all season, and now they have to dig deep and even up the series before it shifts to Tampa.
"Nothing has come easy for this group, ever. Nothing is ever handed to them. Everything they've gotten they've earned," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "We're in the playoffs. We're going to have to go earn every inch of ice we get and every goal. This group has always bounced back. I don't expect anything different."
Next Man Up: Nino Niederreiter, who was one of the Canes' two 20-goal scorers in the regular season, is "very, very doubtful" to return in the Second Round, according to Brind'Amour. Niederreiter did not play in Game 1 after leaving practice early over the weekend. In his absence, Cedric Paquette dressed for the first time since April 29, after he missed the last six games of the regular season with a lower-body injury.
"Injuries happen. That's part of the game," Brady Skjei said. "It's the next guy up. I think this team's depth is one of the strongest assets. We know the next guy up is going to step up and fill those minutes."
