Here are three things to watch in Game 3:
1. Last change
The Hurricanes were able to take advantage of having the last line change on home ice to get some matchups they wanted in the first two games, particularly for the red-hot line of Hall (one goal, one assist), Logan Stankoven (two goals) and Jackson Blake (one goal, three assists). At home for Game 3, the Flyers will have last change and Tocchet said he will try to do some things to slow down that line.
“You want your matchup, but we’ve got to let guys play,” Tocchet said. “But there are some things that I can do to help our team out with having certain people on the ice. … They’re a hot line. That’s a line that we’ve got to get in on them.”
That could force the Hurricanes to change on the fly to try to get Stankoven’s line away from unfavorable matchup or they could opt to try to play through it.
“You rely on everybody on your team or you wouldn’t be this far,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “So, everybody can play against everyone. In your mind, you have little things that, ‘OK, maybe that group can go against that group better,’ But on the road, that kind of goes out the window a little bit, and you trust your team.”
2. Overcoming injuries
Injuries are starting to pile up for the Flyers after center Noah Cates sustained a lower-body injury in Game 2 that will sideline him for the rest of the series. Philadelphia also will be without right wing Owen Tippett for the third consecutive game because of an unspecified injury and Tocchet acknowledged that center Christian Dvorak is playing through an injury.
Tocchet said Zegras, who played left wing in Game 2, will probably shift back to center with Cates out. Regardless, the Flyers will need to battle through and find a way and get back in the series with whichever players are healthy enough to play.
“I know we’ve got some key guys hurt. I get it,” Tocchet said. “But there’s opportunity for whoever to take those positions. I think you just stay on that route. You don’t even talk about the negative. You just say there’s an opportunity. Everybody is going to get a little bit more ice time and more opportunities.”
3. Power-play problems
Each team scored on its first power-play opportunity of Game 2 before resuming their previous struggles. The Flyers are 3-for-28 (10.7 percent) for the playoffs after going 1-for-7 in Game 2, including a failed opportunity in overtime. The Hurricanes are 3-for-25 (12 percent) for the playoffs after going 1-for-6 in Game 2.
Each has been working on it in practice and searching for answers. The first team to find some would get a big boost.
“I thought there was a couple of plays that maybe with a better pass or better shot, we could’ve created more,” Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho said. “Obviously, every team at this time of year is trying to find that edge. We’ve been talking about it, we’ve been watching video, and we can be better.”
