Here we go again.
Just one off-day removed from ousting the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals in a stunning game seven double overtime, the Carolina Hurricanes will hit the ice again tonight, now with a clean slate and a new opponent.
That opponent is the New York Islanders, a team that lost their captain and franchise centerpiece John Tavares over the summer and looked to be on the brink of falling apart. That absolutely didn’t happen, though.
Under new head coach Barry Trotz, the Isles have been one of the biggest surprises (along with the Hurricanes) in the NHL, and their first-round sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins only added to their legitimacy as a team that could go all the way.