Game of the day: Edmonton at Carolina

Game of the day:
Edmonton at Carolina   

 

By Covers.com staff
Tue, Jun 6, 2006  

 

Edmonton Oilers at Carolina Hurricanes

 

Line: Carolina is a -175 favorite.

 

The total: 6

 

A feeling of uncertainty:

 

Whoever gets between the pipes tomorrow Edmonton will be rusty and short on confidence.

 

The Oilers acquired Dwayne Roloson at the trade deadline because they didn’t believe Ty Conklin or Jussi Markkanen would be able to lead them to the Stanley Cup, but now things have changed. Roloson will miss the remainder of the series with a knee injury.

 

Conklin relieved Roloson late in the series opener and then made a costly error that lost his team the game.

 

"It`s a mistake I don`t think I would normally make," Conklin told the Toronto Star. "I`m sure that (not playing in so long) had something to do with it, but regardless of inactivity, you still have to make the right plays."

 

He hasn’t started since the middle of April and compiled an 8-5-1 record during the regular season. Markkanen hasn’t seen any action since the beginning of March, but won 15 games for the team this season.

 

Comeback kids:

 

Never count out the Hurricanes.

 

The Canes have comeback to win three games this postseason in which they were down heading into the third period, including their two latest victories. They scored three times in the final stanza during Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final and then scored four times in last 20 minutes to win Game 1 of this series.

 

Rod BrindAmour continues to lead by example with four points in his past two games, three of which coming in the third period.

 

"I think all year our team has been exciting because we do seem to, for whatever reason, get behind and find ways to scratch and claw and make huge saves," Brind`Amour told the Durham Herald-Sun. "I mean, you know, I`d say my dad, he`s having a heart attack, we`re fun to watch but not the way you want to do it."

 

Carolina is 7-4 this postseason when they allow their opponents to score the first goal.

 

Hurting your hometown:

 

Ray Whitney and Cam Ward grew up in the Edmonton area cheering for the Oilers during their dynasty years, but now both players are doing their best to prevent a sixth Stanley Cup parade.

 

Both Alberta natives were tremendous during the third period of Game 1. Whitney scored a pair goals in the period and Ward made 17 of his 34 saves in the final frame.

 

Glen Wesley, who also grew up close to Edmonton, played a big role on Monday night as well. He blocked five shots and was huge in killing off key penalties.

 

Game 2s:

 

Through the first three rounds of the playoffs, both teams are 2-1 in Game 2s and all games have been closely contested. All three of those games in which Carolina has played were at home and have been separated by one goal. Meanwhile, Edmonton has been on the road each time and both of their wins were by two goals.

 

Backers shouldn’t give up hope on the Oilers just because they dropped the opener, 15 other teams have rallied from a Game 1 loss to win the Stanley Cup.