Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt predicted a key aspect of the series before Game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes.
According to him, the entire series will hinge on which defense corps can get the puck to their forwards faster. Despite the importance of other elements like special teams, the main factor is the speed of transitioning the puck to the forwards compared to the opponent.
If you`re looking for a reason for the Panthers` 1-0 lead (besides Sergei Bobrovsky`s outstanding performance), it`s precisely their ability to consistently exit their zone and get the puck to their forwards.
This is extremely difficult against the Hurricanes, who constantly employ a three-man forecheck and pinching defensemen along the boards. Teams that prefer controlled zone exits can easily fall into Carolina`s trap by passing under pressure. Simply dumping the puck out is also not always effective, especially without clear coordination between defensemen and forwards.
