CBC-Sports

Hurricanes look to rebound in Game 2

May 3, 2009 11:27 AM | Posted by   CBC Sports Staff  

If there was one element of the team's play in Game 1 that bothered the Hurricanes, it was their careless play with the puck.

"We have to do a better job of managing the puck and protecting the puck when we have it," Erik Cole said. "We did a lot of things that were out of character. We have to come back and be smarter with the puck."

Deja vu

In the opening round, Carolina dropped a 4-1 decision in Game 1 to New Jersey. The Hurricanes rebounded in Game 2 and scored a 2-1 win at the Prudential Center to split the first two games and bring the series back to Raleigh.

"Similar games. Very, very similar," said coach Paul Maurice. "I think Boston has a little more transition. But the top two offensives lines in New Jersey are very similar in their ability off the rush.

"It's certainly not the first time they've heard that message. Between Game 1 and 2, we were singing pretty much the same song."

Discipline, discipline

The Hurricanes only had one power play in Game 1. It came at 14:13 of the third period when Zdeno Chara was called for hooking. The Bruins held a 4-1 lead at the time.

"Where we've been really good, besides the discipline of not retaliating, is that we've got better sticks," Bruins coach Claude Julien said.

"Better sticks means our sticks are in the passing lanes. They're on the ice. As long as they're on the ice, you're going to stay away from those hooking and cross-checking penalties. I think our guys have done a pretty good job at that."

The Bruins are perfect on the penalty kill (9-for-9) so far in the playoffs. Steve Montador considered going after Carolina's Ryan Bayda in the first period after the forward bowled over goalie Tim Thomas.

But Montador thought better of it because Bayda was called for goaltender interference.

"You have to rely on the refs," said Thomas. "They did a good job. I think they made the right call."

Kessel sits out practice

Phil Kessel was the only Bruin not to practice today. Kessel hurt his left elbow when he fell in the second period of Game 1.

Kessel, who finished out the game (he assisted on Marc Savard's third-period goal), is expected to be 100 percent tomorrow and be back for Game 2. Byron Bitz, a healthy scratch in Game 1, practiced in Kessel's spot on the first line.

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