Gold: Hurricanes-Bruins Game 4 preview

By Adam Gold radio host 99.9 the Fan

Normally in a series there are cliches attached to the number of the game. A “bounce-back” Game 2, the “all-important” Game 3. Then there’s Game 5, which is always “pivotal”. Stands to reason, too.  In a 7-game series that’s either the game that puts someone up 3-2, or has the chance to end one team’s season.

This afternoon, the Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins will play a pivotal Game 4.

Not that the Hurricanes have to win this game to win the series. Statistically and historically speaking, the Hurricanes will still have the better chance to advance even with a loss to the Bruins today. Teams that lose Game 4 on the road to bring the series even at 2-2 still have almost a 57% chance of eventually winning. So, this isn’t a “must-win” in that sense.

But, based on how Game 3 played out, the Canes have to re-establish their game otherwise they will be in a world of trouble the balance of the series. That, in my view, is what makes today so important. In almost a regular season way, how this looks is just about as important as the final score.

Up until the Charlie Coyle shorthanded goal the Hurricanes were doing exactly what they’d done for 120 minutes in Raleigh. Carolina was suffocating the Bruins, eliminating time in the neutral zone, making it difficult for Boston to get the puck up ice, all of the things that the Canes’ speed and system are designed to do.

And honestly, Boston wasn’t handling it well. The first 135 minutes of this series looked very similar to the 16-1 aggregate score from the regular season. The Canes had an 11-3 scoreboard edge after Vincent Trocheck’s second goal of the series midway through the first. A goal created by pressure deep in Boston’s end and Brendan Smith’s intercept of an attempted clear, leading to a quick shot and a rebound.

But, when Coyle and Jake DeBrusk burned the Hurricanes power play late in the 1st period it created an enormous transfer of fuel from Carolina’s into the Bruins’ and the game was never the same. The Canes penalty kill was burned twice, once coming after surviving a minute and a half of a 5-on-3 advantage.

And, it was the penalty kill through two games that was so noticeable. Remember that the team that won the special teams battle won both post season series, and it was evident in the regular season as well.

Carolina’s power play was abysmal. The Hurricanes are now 2 for 17 in the series with one of the goals coming with a 2-man edge. The Bruins aren’t lighting it on fire, but they are a respectable 3 for 13 plus the shorty and you’d have to admit that the edge goes to the Bruins. In a tight series you don’t have to win the special teams battle, but you can’t lose it.  In game 4, the Hurricanes lost it decisively.

The Hurricanes did not practice yesterday and did not give a definitive word on the status of Jordan Martinook who suffered a lower body injury in the middle of Game 3. But, unless someone else is coming out of the line up – and I wouldn’t rule that out, entirely – the fact that Derek Stepan was made available to the media should give us an indication that he’s going to draw back into the mix.

If so, assuming no other changes, here’s how I’d expect the Hurricanes to present themselves this afternoon.

Svechnikov-Aho-Jarvis

Teravainen-Trocheck-Necas

Niederreiter-Staal-Fast

Domi-Kotkaniemi-Stepan

Slavin-DeAngelo

Skjei-Pesce

Smith-Cole

Raanta

Yes, I am expecting Antti Raanta to slide back in goal today. Pyotr Kochetkov played very well for the most part in Game 3 on the Heels of his excellent performance in the second game of the series. But, he’d admit that the David Pastrnak power play goal that made the score 3-1 in the 2nd period was one that he should have stopped.

Wanna bet…?

ML: Boston -130/Carolina +110. O/U: 5.5 goals.

Coverage begins at 11:30 on 99.9 the Fan with Storm Watch starring Dennis Cox. Opening face off set for just after 12:30. Don’t forget to follow the Canes Corner Podcast as a new episode drops the #MorningAfter every Hurricanes game.