Hurricanes Need Their Top Line To Wake Up At 5-on-5

Carolina’s top line is under the microscope heading into Game 2 of the East Final, and that is exactly where good playoff teams separate from dangerous ones. The Hurricanes need production at even strength, because special teams can only cover for so much when the games get tighter and the details get meaner. This is the part of the series where stars have to drive play, not just survive shifts. If Carolina’s best group stays quiet, the margin for error gets awfully thin.