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The Carolina Hurricanes have been a favorite to win the 2024 Stanley Cup all season. As one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, the Hurricanes finished as the second seed in the Metropolitan Division and drew the New York Islanders in the first round for the second straight year.
Carolina knocked off the Islanders 3-1 in Game 1 on Saturday and had a dramatic comeback to win 5-3 in Game 2 on Monday. They are well on their way to a first-round victory and could be the team to beat on the way to their first Stanley Cup since 2006.
Three reasons the Carolina Hurricanes could win the Stanley Cup in 2024
#1 Goaltending
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Frederik Andersen has been a gift since returning from injury. The Carolina Hurricanes netminder missed 50 games with a blood clotting issue but ended the season on a 13-2-0 run with a .932 save percentage and a 1.84 goals-against average in 16 starts.
He was excellent in Game 1 and did enough to help the Hurricanes erase a 3-0 deficit in Game 2 to take a 2-0 series lead. He has a .913 save percentage in the postseason and will be the backbone of their potential playoff run.
#2 A balanced attack
The Carolina Hurricanes have become an elite team not through one or two superstar players but with a group mentality. Coach Rod Brind'Amour played that way in his career and preaches it behind the bench.
That balanced attack has continued in the playoffs. In two games, all but five Carolina Hurricanes skaters have registered a point. Six players have two points, and Seth Jarvis and Brady Skjiei lead the way with three each.
That's how you win championships, and it's vital to any Stanley Cup team.
#3 Never say die
It's easy to find the top storyline from Game 2 of this series. Carolina was dead in the water in the second period of Game 2. After dominating the first 20 and registering nearly every shot, the Hurricanes lost control.
New York scored three straight goals in 7:42 from the end of the first to the beginning of the second period. The Islanders had only 11 shots through 40 minutes but had taken a 3-0 lead.
Carolina didn't go away. They got within two in the final minutes of the second and then completely flipped the ice, outshooting New York 17-1 in the third period and outscoring them 5-0 after the Islanders' third goal.
That never-quit attitude will be huge for the Carolina Hurricanes going forward.
