Carolina's Conference Finals curse looms large as Hurricanes host Canadiens in must-win Game 2 tonight
At what point do you start feeling bad for teams? It can be hard to have empathy for sports teams and professionals who make millions to play a game. However, I find myself rooting for teams that continuously knock on the door, but don't find their way to knock it down. The Hurricanes are a team that I've felt bad for, and they host the Canadiens in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
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The Montreal Canadiens put together a fantastic season with a 48-24-10 season. They were excellent on the road all year with a 24-9-8 record as a visiting team. In the opening round of the playoffs, they took Tampa to the distance, alternating wins and losses. In the second round, they found themselves again facing a tough test, taking on Buffalo. The Sabres couldn't get the job done against them, but took them the distance as well.
In the series opener against Carolina, the Canadiens got six goals to find the back of the net. They are now 7-2 in the postseason on the road. Tonight, they are putting Jakub Dobes in the net. He had a strong regular season with a 29-10-4 record and a 2.78 goals-against-per-game average. He also was tied for 22nd in the league with a .901 save percentage. He has been even better in the postseason, posting a .911 save percentage and a 2.48 goals-per-game average. Improving on his regular season numbers against tougher competition is quite impressive.
The Carolina Hurricanes are a team that I have a lot of sympathy for. I know the team had a good season, as they have for years. However, they keep stumbling in the Conference Finals. They went 1-4 last year against the Panthers, 0-4 three seasons ago, and 0-4 in 2018-19 when they got there. They are now 1-13 in their past 14 Conference Finals games. It is kind of depressing seeing it happen to them.
Of course, this was also the first loss of the playoffs for the Hurricanes, so you have to wonder if it is all mental or if it is just a fluke that they lost the first game. In the first round, they won all four games, but it wasn't like they blew out their opponent in any game. Against the Flyers, they had two wins in overtime, and the other two wins were by three goals. They should have Frederik Andersen in the net and he has been locked in for the playoffs. He has a .932 save percentage in the playoffs compared to .874 in the regular season. The same with his goals allowed dropping from 3.05 to 1.51.
Tonight should be a game the Hurricanes come out and look to get the stigma off their back. A win here would give them a completely new series and relieve a little bit of pressure off of them. Just because you need to win, doesn't mean you'll do it, though. I like the way the Canadiens played in Game 1 and think there is a ton of value on them.
This doesn't mean that Montreal will win the game, but it does give us a good opportunity to bet on them. Dobes has been tough to score on, but certainly easier than Andersen. Still, he is playing with house money at this point. I expect the Canadiens to play without pressure, full of confidence, and win this game. They may have found something after getting six goals in Game 1. Give me Montreal at plus money.
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