3 Things to Watch: Flyers at Hurricanes, Game 1 of Eastern Conference 2nd Round
Vladar looks to continue to provide strong goaltending for Philadelphia; Ehlers back from injury for Carolina
© Jaylynn Nash/Getty Images
RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers will meet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference Second Round, which begins at Lenovo Center on Saturday.
After finishing first in the East and Metropolitan Division during the regular season with 113 points, the Hurricanes (53-22-7) swept the Ottawa Senators in four games in the first round. The Flyers (43-27-12) finished third in the Metropolitan with 98 points, then defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
Philadelphia had two days to recover from its series-clinching 1-0 overtime victory in Game 6 at home against Pittsburgh on Wednesday and could be sharper at the start without a long layoff between games.
“I see a lot of excitement to play this game,” Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said. “We played two nights ago. We're back at the fire. I’m glad we're getting back (to playing). We've got plenty of rest. We can rest tomorrow, So, we're taking the approach that, ‘Hey, we've been used to it for two months. Don't change our routine.’”
Carolina has had a week off since wrapping up their first-round series with a 4-2 win in Game 4 at Ottawa on April 25, so it will be well rested, but might have to shake off some rust.
“It is what it is,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “It’s been a long break, too long. A couple days are nice. Then, you want to get right back at it and stay in the flow of what the playoffs are about. But it wasn’t the case, so now it is and we’re ready to go.”
This has the potential to be a tight series. The Hurricanes won three of the four games between the teams during the regular season, but each of them went beyond regulation, including three that required shootouts. Philadelphia clinched its first playoff berth since 2020 with a 3-2 shootout victory against Carolina on April 13 in the final game of their regular-season series.
The Hurricanes had already clinched first the conference, so they rested many of their regulars for that game. Each team will be eager to start strong in this series.
“It’s going to be a tight game,” Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin said. “They’re a great team. They hunker down pretty good and don’t give up a lot. So, we’re going to have to wait for our chances and be smart about how we do it. But it’s going to be a tight game.”
“I think we’ve got to be prepared for a hard series and kind of how detailed they are,” Flyers forward Noah Cates said. “I think we're pretty stingy defensively as well. Just expecting, honestly, a battle all over the ice, on the walls, everywhere. You’ve got to just win puck battles, win lines, advance pucks.”
NHL Tonight looks forward to the Flyers taking on the Hurricanes in the Second Round
Here are 3 things to watch in Game 1:
1. Hurricanes’ forecheck
Carolina is relentless in pressuring teams on the forecheck to create sustained offensive-zone pressure and a high volume of shot attempts. The Hurricanes were plus-37 in 5-on-5 shot attempts in the four games against the Senators after leading the NHL by a wide margin at plus-1,410 during the regular season (the Colorado Avalanche were second at plus-1,043).
How the Flyers handle this will be one of the keys to the series. Philadelphia had increasing trouble with Pittsburgh’s forecheck pressure as that series progressed and was last in the NHL during the first round with a minus-70 differential in 5-on-5 shot attempts. The Flyers were minus-111 in 5-on-5 shot attempts in their four regular-season games against the Hurricanes. They will need to be more efficient in moving the puck out of their zone in this series to give themselves the best chance to succeed.
“They bring a high-intensity, fast paced style of game, we’ve got to make sure we're really prepared for that right off the start, not get away from our game,” Philadelphia forward Denver Barkey said. “If they do have extended (offensive)-zone time or the pressure is on their side, and they’ve got momentum, not getting away from what we do, stick to what's been working.”
2. Frederik Andersen vs. Dan Vladar
The goaltending matchup between the Hurricanes’ Andersen and the Flyers’ Vladar will be a must-watch throughout the series after each was pivotal to helping his team advance. Andersen stopped 105 of 110 shots for a 1.10 goals-against average, .955 save percentage and one shutout in the first round. He did not allow more than two goals in any of the four games. Vladar stopped 148 of 158 shots for a 1.61 GAA, .937 save percentage and two shutouts. After the Flyers lost Games 4 and 5, he was brilliant in a 42-save shutout in Game 6.
“When you have a goalie that’s playing well, it’s hard. It’s hard to score goals,’” Slavin said. “So, you’ve got to get to the net, you’ve got to get in his eyes, you’ve got to cause chaos there. That’s what we’re good at doing, so we’ve just got to stick to that.”
3. Nikolaj Ehlers returns
Brind’Amour said Ehlers will play Saturday after the forward missed Game 4 of the first round because of a lower-body injury. The 30-year-old returned to practice Friday and participated in the morning skate Saturday.
Getting Ehlers back for the start of the series will be a big boost for the Hurricanes. He was their biggest offseason addition, signing a six-year, $51 million contract ($8.5 million average annual value) on July 3, 2025. They hope he can help get them over the hump after they lost to the Florida Panthers in five games in the conference final last season.
Ehlers’ speed, relentless engine and offensive skill have made him a good fit to their forechecking system, and he’s played well on the third line with Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook. He set up Martinook’s goal in double overtime for a 3-2 victory in Game 2 against the Senators.
“It doesn’t matter where you stick him, you’ve just got to get him on the ice,” Brind’Amour said. “He’s been a great fit with those guys. It’s probably not what we anticipated at the start of the year, but again good players can play with anybody, and t’s been a good fit for us.”
Flyers projected lineup
Owen Tippett -- Trevor Zegras -- Porter Martone
Denver Barkey -- Christian Dvorak -- Travis Konecny
Tyson Foerster -- Noah Cates -- Matvei Michkov
Luke Glendening -- Sean Couturier -- Garnet Hathaway
Travis Sanheim -- Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York -- Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler -- Noah Juulsen
Dan Vladar
Samuel Ersson
Scratched: Garrett Wilson, Emil Andrae, Alex Bump, Carl Grundstrom, Oliver Bonk, David Jiricek, Carson Bjarnason, Helge Grans, Hunter McDonald, Oscar Eklind, Jacob Gaucher
Injured: Rodrigo Abols (lower body), Nikita Grebenkin (upper body)
Hurricanes projected lineup
Andrei Svechnikov -- Sebastian Aho -- Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall -- Logan Stankoven -- Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers -- Jordan Staal -- Jordan Martinook
William Carrier -- Mark Jankowski -- Eric Robinson
Jaccob Slavin -- Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller -- Sean Walker
Shayne Gostisbehere -- Alexander Nikishin
Frederik Andersen
Brandon Bussi
Scratched: Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Nicolas Deslauriers, Mike Reilly, Pyotr Kochetkov
Injured: None
Status report
The Flyers held an optional morning skate. … Miller did not participate in the morning skate but is expected to play. … Nikishin, who was diagnosed with a concussion after leaving Game 4 of the first round, will need to be medically cleared for the game, Brind’Amour said.
