EAST

* Who: No. 2 Carolina Hurricanes vs. No. 4 Buffalo Sabres.

* Regular season: Carolina 52-22-8, 112 points. Buffalo 52-24-6, 110 points.

* Season series: Carolina, 3-1.

* How they got here: Carolina defeated Montreal in six games and New Jersey in five games. Buffalo defeated Philadelphia in six games and Ottawa in five games.

* Postseason power play: Carolina 15-54, 27.8%; Buffalo 10-65, 15.4%.

* Postseason penalty killing: Carolina 49-58, 84.5%; Buffalo 52-61, 85.2%.

* Top scorers: Carolina, Eric Staal 5-10 -- 15. Buffalo, Chris Drury 6-7 -- 13.

* Team scoring average: Carolina, 2.91 goals a game, Buffalo 3.91.

* Team goals-against average: Carolina 2.34, Buffalo 2.33.

* What you need to know: NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s goals this season were to increase scoring and to help small-market teams compete on an equal footing with their bigger brothers. The East final is his show-and-tell project. The Hurricanes scored 294 goals, third in the NHL, but the Sabres weren’t far behind at 281. And the Sabres have romped in postseason play, twice scoring seven goals and once scoring eight to lead all playoff teams in scoring. The Sabres are small, but they’re faster than the Hurricanes. They have strong leaders in Chris Drury and Daniel Briere, while the Hurricanes have the determination of Rod Brind’Amour, and the energy and tenacity of Eric Staal and Doug Weight. Each team thrived under the obstruction crackdown and each has good measures of depth and toughness. Each also endured goaltending issues: the Hurricanes ditched former Ducks goalie Martin Gerber for rookie Cam Ward after they lost the first two games of their first-round series against Montreal, and the Sabres settled on Ryan Miller over Martin Biron late in the season. Carolina probably has more offensive punch, but Ward hasn’t faced this kind of challenge. The Sabres are fun to watch but could wear down if the Hurricanes pound them.

-- HELENE ELLIOTT

SCHEDULE

Game 1: at Carolina...Saturday, 11 a.m.

Game 2: at Carolina...Monday, 4:30 p.m.

Game 3: at Buffalo...Wednesday, 4:30 p.m.

Game 4: at Buffalo...May 26, 4:30 p.m.

Game 5: at Carolina...May 28, 4:30 p.m.*

Game 6: at Buffalo...May 30, 4:30 p.m.*

Game 7: at Carolina...June 1, 4:30 p.m.*

*if necessary; all times Pacific