The eighth-seeded Edmonton
Oilers will represent the Western Conference
as they take on the second-seeded Carolina
Hurricanes, winners of the Eastern Conference,
in the opening game of the Stanley
Cup Finals on Monday. Carolina is not
as well-rested as the Oilers, but are anxious
after four days off to get things going.
Edmonton will have to play strong defense
against the balance boasted by Carolina's
three top lines.
Carolina
Panthers Preview: Edmonton coach
Craig MacTavish has said his goal in each
series is to see both of the opponent's
goalies. Chances are he'll get his wish
against Carolina, although it's not likely
to do him much good. Carolina coach Peter
Laviolette has walked the tightrope between
method and madness in swapping regular-season
starter Martin Gerber with rookie playoff
hero Cam Ward, who came on in relief several
times. The rookie will be the starter after
helping the Canes rebound from a 2-0 deficit
in the first round against Montreal and
returned to lead them to an overtime victory
in Game 5 and then in Game 7 of the Eastern
Conference finals against Buffalo.Up front,
the Canes are led emotionally by captain
Rod Brind'Amour, who is on the ice for every
crucial moment of every game. In spite of
playing what he described as a lousy game,
he scored the series clincher against Buffalo
on Thursday. He is tireless and dangerous
and leads the NHL in face-off proficiency.
Edmonton
Oilers Preview: We know we're tempting
the fates here. The ghosts of Messier, Gretzky,
Coffey, et al, seem to be carrying this
team to glory. We've already explored the
deep similarities between this team and
the last Oilers Cup team in 1990. But as
shocking as it might be to the boys and
girls on Whyte Avenue and the multi-headed
ownership group and the 30 million Canadians
who have adopted the Oilers as their own,
the glory train is about to stop just short.
Although the Oilers have received clutch
scoring from an unheralded cast that includes
Shawn Horcoff, who has evolved into a fine
No. 1 center, and Fernando Pisani, whose
nine goals are tied for the playoff lead,
Edmonton simply can't match Carolina's firepower
up and down the lineup. One of the keys
for the Oilers will be in pressuring a Carolina
defense that is underrated but lacks a true
stud in the mold of a Pronger, Scott Niedermayer
or Nicklas Lidstrom. It is this element
of the game plan that may mean the difference
in the series.
The Hurricanes are
favored, opening as 165 chalk, with an opening
total of 6 goals.
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Posted
by Q Monday
