The Philadelphia Flyers face the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. EST. The Hurricanes swept the Senators, while the Flyers defeated the Penguins in six games.
Key points
Flyers face Hurricanes in Round 2 of Stanley Cup Playoffs
Game starts at 8:00 p.m. EST
Hurricanes swept Senators in four games
Flyers defeated Penguins in six games
Game held at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina
Mentioned in this story
Lenovo CenterRaleigh, North Carolina
Philadelphia FlyersCarolina HurricanesOttawa SenatorsPittsburgh Penguins
Round 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs kicks off on Saturday when the Philadelphia Flyers (0-0, 4-2) take on the Carolina Hurricanes (0-0, 4-0) at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Hurricanes make quick work of the Ottawa Senators, sweeping them in 4 games. However, quick work was not easy work. Each game was decided by two or fewer goals. Two of them were decided by one goal, one was a one-goal game before an empty-netter, and of course, the Hurricanes won Game 1 2-0 after the controversial no-goal call on Drake Batherson’s would-be goal for the Senators.
The Flyers took 6 games to put their bitter rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, away in an emotional series. Games 1, 2, and 3 were a defensive clinic by the Flyers, coupled with opportunistic scoring. That went missing for the next 3 games, but the Flyers came through with the Game 6 overtime winner.
Puck drop is at 8:00 p.m. EST at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh. Here is how the Flyers are expected to line up.
The Hurricanes did not score many goals in their win over the Senators. In fact, they had 11 total. Carolina got great goaltending from Frederik Andersen in those games, enough to hold the Senators to just 5 goals in 4 games. Anderson is getting the start for Game 1 against the Flyers. He’s going to be tough to crack.
To that point, Dan Vladar has been just as good, if not better, in his 6 games for the Flyers in Round 1. In 6 games, Vladar gave up 11 goals, including 2 shutouts. His 42-save shutout in Game 6 was what sealed the deal for the Flyers.
This could be setting up to be a goaltender’s duel. The Flyers will need Vladar at his best.
As for what to look for for the Flyers, I will be keeping a close eye on Jamie Drysdale and Travis Sanheim in this series. The Flyers will need clean breakouts if they want a chance to establish possession throughout the series. Both Sanheim and Drysdale were the best with the puck on their stick exiting the zone. They’re going to need to keep that up.
Lastly, the Flyers will need to be much more opportunistic. Carolina is a good, no, great shot-suppressing team. Chances will be limited, so if the Flyers get a good look, they’d best not miss. In the late games of the series against the Penguins, they failed to capitalize on many good chances. That has to change in Round 2.
How to Watch Flyers @ Hurricanes
TV: ABC
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Puck drop is at 8:00 p.m. EST at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh.
