Game 5 Preview: Lightning vs. Hurricanes

With their backs against the wall, the Carolina Hurricanes fight to see another day in the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the Second Round.

Game 5

(3) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (1) Carolina Hurricanes
Tampa Bay leads series 3-1
Tuesday, June 8, 6:30 p.m.
Watch: NBCSN
Listen: 99.9 FM The Fan,
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About Game 4

The Canes tallied four times in a wild second period, during which eight total goals were scored, but the Lightning stormed back to score four unanswered goals in a
6-4 final
. Tampa Bay finished 3-for-6 on the power play, which played a critical part in their comeback, to take a 3-1 series lead. Ten different Canes skaters found the scoresheet, while Jaccob Slavin (1g, 1a) and Andrei Svechnikov (2a) finished with multi-point evenings.

"We took some bad penalties tonight. If you give that caliber of power play that many chances, it's not a recipe for success," Slavin said. "We've just got to stay more disciplined. Play hard, but play smart, as well."

Tracking the Storylines

Needing Niederreiter: Nino Niederreiter practiced with the Canes on Monday and is "hopeful" to play in Game 5, according to head coach Rod Brind'Amour. Niederreiter, who had not skated with the team in more than a week, has missed the first four games of this series with an upper-body injury. Niederreiter tallied 20 goals, including four on the power play, in the regular season.
More Injury Notes: Vincent Trocheck and Warren Foegele skated with the extras but did not practice with the Canes on Monday. Both remain game-time decisions for Game 5. Trocheck has missed the last two games with a lower-body injury, while Foegele aggravated an upper-body injury in Game 3 but was able to play in Game 4.

Make History: The challenge ahead of the Canes is not an easy one, but when has it ever been so for this team? The Canes are going to have to rattle off three straight wins against the defending Stanley Cup champions, a team that is 10-0 in playoff games following a loss since 2020. Two of those three games are on home ice, though, so the Canes will have to steal just one more game on the road. First thing's first, though: Game 5, and the Canes are 2-2 in such scenarios. The Lightning have never lost a series they've led 3-1 (11-0), and the Canes have never erased such a series deficit (0-4). If they do, though, they'd become the 31st team in NHL history and the second this very postseason to do so.
"You know there is no tomorrow. This is it. You've got to lay it all on the line," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said on Monday. "I'm sure we'll give it everything we've got. I've got no doubt in this group."

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