The Carolina Hurricanes are just one win away from ending a 20-year Stanley Cup drought, but the job's not finished.

Instead of looking ahead to a possible championship celebration, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour has urged his team not to think too far ahead.

"We talked about that already little bit," the 55-year-old said when discussing the challenge, per NHL.com. 

Brind'Amour's warning underscores the mental discipline required to close out a championship.

Carolina took a 3-2 series lead after beating the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 on Thursday. They now have two chances to win the Stanley Cup.

Having captained the Carolina Hurricanes team that won in 2006, Rod Brind'Amour reminded his players that “it’s the hardest one.”

"You have a team that you're playing that knows how to win," he said.

While the Stanley Cup is within reach, he said players must handle outside attention, family plans, ticket requests, and the excitement of a possible championship.

"You've got a little more distractions now," he said. "It's a little bit more difficult, and we've got to manage that."

To that end, Brind'Amour believes the two-day break before Game 6 could help players resolve off-ice matters before focusing on hockey again.

"You've still got to play your best game if you expect to have a chance to win," he added. "And that's really the focus."

While Carolina enters with a lead, the team might feel wanting regarding championship experience.

Hurricanes Lean on Experience as Cup Pressure Builds

The Hurricanes do not have many players who have won the Stanley Cup before.

Captain Jordan Staal won it with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, while forward William Carrier clinched the trophy with current opponents, the Vegas Golden Knights, in 2023.

On the other hand, Vegas still retains most of its Stanley Cup-winning squad from 2023.

Despite the lack of experience, the team can learn from the Hurricanes' last championship win.

In 2006, Carolina almost squandered a 3-1 lead on the Edmonton Oilers in the Cup Final. They lost Game 5 and 6, before clinching a desperate 3-1 win at home to seal the title.

Having led that squad, Brind'Amour knows all too well not to take the foot off the paddle.

"We're a focused group, and we're not two steps ahead here," he said. "We know we got to get this next step."

If Carolina follows that approach and plays its best hockey, the franchise could be celebrating another Stanley Cup on Sunday night in Las Vegas.

Can Rod Brind'Amour’s experience help the Carolina Hurricanes stay focused and finally win the Stanley Cup?

Read more at the NHL Fan Central.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Sijo Paul