The Hurricanes earned it — the game and the expected-goals battle both.
Carolina's dominance on the underlying numbers—66% of expected goals—made the 6-3 scoreline almost conservative. The Hurricanes held 61% of shot attempts and built a 5.62–2.89 advantage in expected goals, the kind of disparity that usually yields larger margins.
Buffalo's goaltender A. Lyon kept the margin respectable. He saved 1.6 goals above expected, a herculean effort that prevented the deficit from widening further. Meanwhile, P. Kochetkov faced an easier task: he was perfect on high-danger chances, turning away all five.
The shot geography revealed Carolina's advantage. The Hurricanes generated 0.078 expected goals per shot—premium scoring areas on most attempts. Buffalo managed 0.058, a better positioning than their volume alone suggested, yet insufficient against Carolina's efficiency. The Hurricanes' rush game was particularly lethal: they converted 5 goals on 28 rush attempts, while Buffalo managed only 3 on 22.
High-danger chances finished 8–5 in Carolina's favor, reflecting their dominance in the most critical scoring areas. Buffalo couldn't convert on 5 high-danger opportunities—an anomaly that won't repeat.
The underlying numbers aligned perfectly with the final score. When one team controls shot volume, shot quality, and proximity to goal by this margin, defeat becomes inevitable. A. Lyon's exceptional performance was merely a plot twist, not a reversal: individual excellence cannot overcome systemic domination.