Wayne Gretzky calls out Carolina Hurricanes leadership group ahead of pivotal Game 2
Photo credit: Saul Loeb-Pool via Imagn Images
The Carolina Hurricanes were utterly dominated in Game 1 by the Montreal Canadiens and now NHL legend Wayne Gretzky has called out their leadership group.
The Carolina Hurricanes entered the Eastern Conference Finals having not lost a single game looking like the easy favorite to head to the Stanley Cup.
However, after a long time off waiting for their opponent the Hurricanes came out flat and were dominated both in effort and on the scoreboard losing 6-2 in Game 1.
Ahead of the tone setting Game 2, NHL legend and TNT analyst Wayne Gretzky called out the Hurricanes leadership group and challenged them to be better.
In his criticism of the Hurricanes disappointing Game 1 performance, Gretzky took aim at the Hurricanes top paid players and their lack of success in the series opener.
Gretzky opened by challenging the Hurricanes best players to step up and admitting that past playoff failures have come the same way for Carolina.
We've talked about this in the past when they've played Florida. If you're going to move on in the Stanley Cup Playoffs your best players have to be the best guys that night.
Then, Gretzky gave some blunt advice to the Hurricanes leadership group as they enter a legacy defining series.
It's tough especially when you want it so bad. But that's your responsibility as a player. You take the roses when you win and you're going to take the heat when you lose.
Now, it will be up to the Hurricanes top players led by Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal to answer the call and come out flying to tie the series up.
If they fail to come through again the Hurricanes will be in a serious hole and on the verge of another playoff failure when it matters most.
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