‘Consistency’ biggest factor for Hurricanes during run to Stanley Cup Final

RALEIGH, N.C. -- There was no one moment when the Carolina Hurricanes realized this would be their year, when they figured out this iteration of the team would be the one to break through.

They had, after all, reached the Eastern Conference Final two of the previous three seasons and three times since 2018-19, but not the Stanley Cup Final.

But this team has. The Hurricanes swept the Ottawa Senators in the first round and the Philadelphia Flyers in the second, then defeated the Montreal Canadiens in five games in the conference final, setting up their first trip here since winning it all in 2006.

“Over the last eight years, it’s been building and building,” defenseman Jaccob Slavin said. “We’ve been close and knocking at the door. I think we finally just have the right personnel, the right commitment, the right buy-in. Because our game really hasn’t changed over the last eight years, right? It’s just been that same commitment and getting those extra pieces that just make us that much better.

“I think you’re seeing something in playoffs this year that we probably haven’t had in any of the other previous years of just consistency through all sorts of the game, through goaltending, through special teams, through 5-on-5 play, just you have that consistency this year, and I think that’s been probably the biggest difference in my eyes.”

Because of that difference and consistency, Carolina will face the Vegas Golden Knights in the best-of-7 Stanley Cup Final. Game 1 is here at Lenovo Center on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, SN, TVAS, CBC).

“Accomplishment is right, a good accomplishment,” Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said of reaching this point. “But there’s a lot of work ahead. We enjoyed it for an evening, maybe for a little day off, but (we) wake up this morning knowing what we have ahead, and the challenge we have ahead is exciting. We’re looking forward to it.”

They are negotiating everything that surrounds being in the Final -- the hype, the ticket requests, the interest from family and friends, all while preparing themselves mentally and physically for the toughest test yet, needing another four wins for the ultimate prize.

But mostly Carolina is looking ahead to Vegas, to the matchup, to what it can do to overcome a team that seems to be getting better and better throughout the playoffs; the Golden Knights have won six in a row, most recently sweeping the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Final.

“They’re where they’re at for a reason, so you know it’s going to be a grind. You know it’s going to be a battle,” Slavin said. “And you watch them play the game, and they play the right way. They’re above guys, they’re dumping pucks in, they’re hard on the forecheck.

“There’s little differences in the game but they play a very similar style to us, and so it’s going to be who can do it better and who can stay on it longer.

“But it’s going to be an awesome series. Fun hockey, and we’re just excited for the chance to be here.”

The Hurricanes are excited to get back on the ice Monday for one final practice before the series begins, to get back to their game and play the style that has been the staple of their team for eight seasons under coach Rod Brind’Amour. It’s the culture and way of playing that consistently has them in the mix every season.

It has them here, a chance to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup.

“I don’t know if there was ever a point that you could say we realized it was different,” Slavin said. “I think what we talked about within that locker room is always just consistency is part of our culture that we have here. And so, we’ve always wanted to hammer in on that consistency. I think it’s just the execution of it this year is probably the biggest difference.

“We always have belief in that room because we always have confidence in our game and how we go about it. So, each and every night we go out there, we try to compete, we try to be consistent, and that’s going to give us a chance to win.”