Playoff Notebook: Two Days Out

RALEIGH, NC. -Late Monday evening the NHL announced the series schedules for both of the conference finals, with the duel between the Carolina Hurricanes and Florida Panthers set to begin on Thursday evening.

Adjusting their leadup accordingly, the Canes used Tuesday as a day to tackle their business through meetings and an off-ice workout, staying away from the ice for one final time before Game 1.

The Calendars Are Marked

Nearly four full days had passed since the Canes eliminated the New Jersey Devils in Game 5 of their series, sending the Metropolitan Division Champions on to the third round of play.

However, it had been a waiting game since, as the coaching staff tried to manage the team's time properly with a hybrid of staying sharp and off days until they knew the dates and times for the next round.

At long last, they have such information.

Rod Brind'Amour's thoughts on the schedule?

"We'd all love to just get playing. (The Panthers) too. They've had a couple of days off, they'd probably rather just play," the head coach shared. "I think everyone would've been happy about (starting the series earlier), but that's not how it goes. Once it gets going, things will get right back in the hamster wheel, and that's good."

While things may not have fallen how he'd prefer them personally, the week between games isn't the worst thing in the world, especially with the potential of a player like Teuvo Teravainen being on the cusp of returning.

"I don't love it, but I think it's good for the group. Both teams are going to have guys that are going to benefit from more rest," Brind'Amour continued. "Both have some injured guys and more time is good. I don't think there's an advantage one way or the other. We'll both just have to pick up where we left off."

While rest versus rust will always be brought up in these situations, the 2021 Jack Adams Award winner admits that he does have concerns about his group losing some of the steam they'd built up, but yet again, they were in a pretty similar spot just two weeks ago.

"There's always that worry," Brind'Amour finished when asked if he felt his group might get complacent due to the elongated break. "We had it last series too and it didn't seem to matter. We know what we have to do, they know what they have to do, and the team that gets to it earliest will have the most success in Game 1."

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Remembering The Last Trip...

Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce are two of just the nine skaters that remain on the Canes' roster from the team's last trip to the Eastern Conference Final (2019).

The group's had trips to the postseason in each campaign since, but they'd not made it back to this round yet.

Like many teams, there's been turnover in the locker room, changes to roles on the coaching staff, and other alterations, but the consistent approach has remained for Carolina. How?

"I think it speaks to how we've been playing the past couple of years and the identity that Roddy has tried to establish here with our group and our organization," Slavin started. "Just making sure that we're dialed in and it's a five-man effort whenever we're on the ice, whether that's on the forecheck, backcheck, puck pressure, whatever it is. We're doing it together and we're doing it hard, and it has to be consistent."

The expectations have grown since the last visit to the conference final, moving from just getting into the playoffs to now having their sights set on a replication of the end result in 2006.

"We've had really good teams the last five years. To be honest, I think everyone has been disappointed getting bumped in the second round for a few years there. Playoffs are hard," Pesce offered. "I remember some of the veteran guys on the 2019 team, and Roddy, saying that you don't know if or when you'll ever get back to the conference final. I kind of learned that the hard way. So, appreciating where you are and not taking anything for granted will be the key. We owe this to Raleigh and to North Carolina."

But as close as the possibility of winning it all is, the group knows that right now their progress is still only at 50%.

"We're close, but we're also only halfway. We've got eight wins and we've got eight more to go. It's a long path still," Slavin continued. "It's not going to get any easier. It's exciting to be where we're at, but we know that there's a lot of work to do."

The Panthers present perhaps the most complex challenge thus far for Carolina, blending the physicality and ability to grind of the New York Islanders, with the skill and speed of the New Jersey Devils.

"You've got to be at your best every game. We know what we're getting into this series. It's going to be a battle and a war," Pesce said of the upcoming opponent. "I know we're hungry to get going and we're all about embracing challenges these playoffs, so it's going to be big."

The Canes are scheduled to practice on Wednesday at PNC Arena. Game 1 of the series will begin at 8 p.m. on Thursday, with TNT producing the national broadcast.

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