Here are 3 things to watch in Game 1:<\/p>\n
1. Hurricanes\u2019 forecheck<\/p>\n
Carolina is relentless in pressuring teams on the forecheck to create sustained offensive-zone pressure and a high volume of shot attempts. The Hurricanes were plus-37 in 5-on-5 shot attempts in the four games against the Senators after leading the NHL by a wide margin at plus-1,410 during the regular season (the Colorado Avalanche were second at plus-1,043).<\/p>\n
How the Flyers handle this will be one of the keys to the series. Philadelphia had increasing trouble with Pittsburgh\u2019s forecheck pressure as that series progressed and was last in the NHL during the first round with a minus-70 differential in 5-on-5 shot attempts. The Flyers were minus-111 in 5-on-5 shot attempts in their four regular-season games against the Hurricanes. They will need to be more efficient in moving the puck out of their zone in this series to give themselves the best chance to succeed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey bring a high-intensity, fast paced style of game, we\u2019ve got to make sure we’re really prepared for that right off the start, not get away from our game,\u201d Philadelphia forward Denver Barkey<\/a>\u00a0said. \u201cIf they do have extended (offensive)-zone time or the pressure is on their side, and they\u2019ve got momentum, not getting away from what we do, stick to what’s been working.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Frederik Andersen<\/a> vs. Dan Vladar<\/a><\/p>\n The goaltending matchup between the Hurricanes\u2019 Andersen and the Flyers\u2019 Vladar will be a must-watch throughout the series after each was pivotal to helping his team advance. Andersen stopped 105 of 110 shots for a 1.10 goals-against average, .955 save percentage and one shutout in the first round. He did not allow more than two goals in any of the four games. Vladar stopped 148 of 158 shots for a 1.61 GAA, .937 save percentage and two shutouts. After the Flyers lost Games 4 and 5, he was brilliant in a 42-save shutout in Game 6.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you have a goalie that\u2019s playing well, it\u2019s hard. It\u2019s hard to score goals,\u2019\u201d Slavin said. \u201cSo, you\u2019ve got to get to the net, you\u2019ve got to get in his eyes, you\u2019ve got to cause chaos there. That\u2019s what we\u2019re good at doing, so we\u2019ve just got to stick to that.\u201d<\/p>\n 3. Nikolaj Ehlers returns<\/p>\n Brind\u2019Amour said Ehlers will play Saturday after the forward missed Game 4 of the first round because of a lower-body injury. The 30-year-old returned to practice Friday and participated in the morning skate Saturday.<\/p>\n Getting Ehlers back for the start of the series will be a big boost for the Hurricanes. He was their biggest offseason addition, signing a six-year, $51 million contract ($8.5 million average annual value) on July 3, 2025. They hope he can help get them over the hump after they lost to the Florida Panthers in five games in the conference final last season.<\/p>\n Ehlers\u2019 speed, relentless engine and offensive skill have made him a good fit to their forechecking system, and he\u2019s played well on the third line with Jordan Staal<\/a> and Jordan Martinook<\/a>. He set up Martinook\u2019s goal in double overtime for a 3-2 victory in Game 2 against the Senators.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter where you stick him, you\u2019ve just got to get him on the ice,\u201d Brind\u2019Amour said. \u201cHe\u2019s been a great fit with those guys. It\u2019s probably not what we anticipated at the start of the year, but again good players can play with anybody, and t\u2019s been a good fit for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Flyers projected lineup<\/p>\n Owen Tippett — Trevor Zegras — Porter Martone<\/p>\n Denver Barkey — Christian Dvorak — Travis Konecny<\/p>\n Tyson Foerster — Noah Cates — Matvei Michkov<\/p>\n Luke Glendening — Sean Couturier — Garnet Hathaway<\/p>\n Travis Sanheim — Rasmus Ristolainen<\/p>\n Cam York — Jamie Drysdale<\/p>\n Nick Seeler — Noah Juulsen<\/p>\n Dan Vladar<\/p>\n Samuel Ersson<\/p>\n Scratched: Garrett Wilson, Emil Andrae, Alex Bump, Carl Grundstrom, Oliver Bonk, David Jiricek, Carson Bjarnason, Helge Grans, Hunter McDonald, Oscar Eklind, Jacob Gaucher<\/p>\n Injured: Rodrigo Abols (lower body), Nikita Grebenkin (upper body)<\/p>\n Hurricanes projected lineup<\/p>\n Andrei Svechnikov — Sebastian Aho — Seth Jarvis<\/p>\n Taylor Hall — Logan Stankoven — Jackson Blake<\/p>\n Nikolaj Ehlers — Jordan Staal — Jordan Martinook<\/p>\n William Carrier — Mark Jankowski — Eric Robinson<\/p>\n Jaccob Slavin — Jalen Chatfield<\/p>\n K\u2019Andre Miller — Sean Walker<\/p>\n Shayne Gostisbehere — Alexander Nikishin<\/p>\n Frederik Andersen<\/p>\n Brandon Bussi<\/p>\n Scratched: Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Nicolas Deslauriers, Mike Reilly, Pyotr Kochetkov<\/p>\n Injured: None<\/p>\n Status report<\/p>\n The Flyers held an optional morning skate. \u2026 Miller did not participate in the morning skate but is expected to play. \u2026 Nikishin, who was diagnosed with a concussion after leaving Game 4 of the first round, will need to be medically cleared for the game, Brind\u2019Amour said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Here are 3 things to watch in Game 1: 1. 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