Staal's Cup Final Surge Brings Penguins Flashbacks

Staal is putting together a Stanley Cup Final performance that has Carolina leaning on exactly the sort of veteran nerve you cannot manufacture in June. For people who watched his Penguins days, the late-game poise and clutch timing probably feel familiar in the worst possible way if you are sitting on the other bench. The Hurricanes do not need him to be flashy, but they absolutely need him to keep turning high-pressure shifts into winning moments.