How did the Canadiens' game plan catch the Hurricanes so off guard in Game 1?

RALEIGH, N.C. — It’s highly possible, even plausible, that what we witnessed in the first 11 minutes and 32 seconds of the Eastern Conference final was all about a long layoff for one team and a nonexistent one for the other.The Carolina Hurricanes, the favorite in this series, certainly seemed to look more Hurricane-like from that early inflection point on, controlling play and using their high-pressure forecheck to make things more uncomfortable for the Montreal Canadiens. But then again, even in those moments of control, it never felt like the sustained territorial dominance we frequently saw against the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers as the Hurricanes swept through the first two rounds.Advertisement