On paper, the first-round matchup between Washington and Carolina didn’t figure to be very exciting. The defending Stanley Cup Champion Capitals earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a strong finish while the Hurricanes squeaked in at No. 7 with their first postseason appearance in a decade.
Just happy to be here
Most hockey pundits felt the Canes would be content to be in the playoffs and bring to an end nine years of futility. The postseason team with a rookie head coach, the youngest roster and the least amount of playoff experience would certainly fold under the bright lights of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.