So much of the hype for the second-round series between the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning surrounds the offensive firepower for both squads, and to be sure, a forechecking clinic put on by the likes of Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov is sure to be appointment viewing.
But there’s much more to the matchup than just an offensive track meet. These two Southeast Discover® NHL® Central Division rivals are elite at both ends of the ice, and given the reputation of the Hurricanes’ defense around the league, it may come as a bit of a surprise that the numbers actually have the Lightning graded out just a little bit higher, although well within the margin of error.