The NHL has revealed some information. David Pagnotta shared on Wednesday night that the schedule for the Stanley Cup Final depends on whether Martin St-Louis can keep the Canadiens in the competition.
If Carolina wins the series in five games, the Cup Final will start on June 2 in Raleigh. However, if Montreal manages to force a Game 6 or 7, the Final will begin on June 4 in one of the Eastern cities.
Take a look at the situation. The league is openly getting ready for a celebration by the Hurricanes.
This is what happens when you are down 3-1 and just lost 4-0 at home in Game 4 on Tuesday night. Rod Brind’Amour’s team has Montreal in a tough spot.
The stats for the series do not look good for the Habs. They have had two tough overtime losses, with a Game 4 that didn’t even feel close. Carolina has scored more, 12-10, since the first game.
Montreal won the first game, 6-2, on the road. Since then, they have struggled. Their power play has ceased to work, the forwards can’t generate much offense, and the fans at Bell Centre watched their team get shut out.
Why Game 5 in Raleigh is a chance for Carolina to finish it, not for Montreal to bounce back.
Carolina had an outstanding regular season with a record of 53 wins, 22 losses, and 7 overtime losses. They had a plus-56 goal difference, a home record of 29 wins, 10 losses, and they finished first in the Metropolitan Division. Now, they have an opportunity to end the series in front of their home fans.
Montreal ended up with a record of 48 wins, 24 losses, and 10 overtime losses, placing them sixth overall. They had a tough seven-game series in the first round against Tampa Bay just to reach this point. They lack energy and are not as fresh as Carolina.
The leak about the schedule wasn’t just an accident. The NHL always prepares for different scenarios, but how it looks matters. Pagnotta sharing this information publicly shows which outcome the league thinks is most likely.
St-Louis has shown amazing skills at times this spring. He led Montreal through seven tough games with the Lightning, then took care of Buffalo in another seven. But magic can run out, and once Brind’Amour gets hold of it, he doesn’t let it go.
The problem with that plan is if the Canadiens can win the next two games, the final one will be on June 2. Why would the NHL schedule the first game of the finals just two days later?
Saying they think Carolina will win the series on Friday is putting it mildly.
Leave a Reply