Carolina Hurricanes: Score Four, Still Lose to Canadiens

The Carolina Hurricanes somehow managed to throw away the win last night, scoring four goals but somehow letting a disappointing Montreal Canadiens team score six. We look back at the game and try to come to terms with two dropped points.

Andrei Svechnikov opened the scoring last night with one of the most beautiful goals scored by any Carolina Hurricanes player this season. Cutting in from the wing, Svech burned past the Canadiens’ captain Shea Weber and buried a gorgeous backhand shot past Carey Price. It’s the kind of goal you could watch again, and again, and again:

That was followed by two Montreal goals, leaving the Canes 2-1 down with one to play. The team came out with jump however, with Svech burying his own rebound past Price to level the game at 2-2 with just 23 seconds on the clock in the third. It seems that Coach Rod is starting to listen to the fans, as Svech’s ice time is up, and he’s revelling in it:

Sadly, the team switched off after tying the game, allowing Brendan Gallagher to put the Habs 3-2 up just 22 seconds later, and then seeing the two sides trade goals as first Artturi Lehkonen put Montreal 4-2 up, then Jaccob Slavin pulled the Canes back within one. Andrew Shaw made it 5-3 Montreal, Sebastian Aho scored his ninth of the season with another beauty to give the Canes hope, but then Jeff Petry sealed the deal for the Canadiens with his second of the game with just less than two minutes left.

It was a case of what could have been; the Canes were out-shot 40-31 by the Habs, but that was mainly down to Montreal having six power plays – all of which the Canes shut down. Sebastian Aho has taken over PK duties in Jordan Staal‘s absence, and looks very capable in that role. He’s turning out to be quite the all-round superstar.

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So, another loss. What do Carolina Hurricanes fans need to hear after a loss? Another repetitive Rod Brind’Amour soundbite. I have just the thing for you:

"“I’m not happy. We needed much more out of certain guys and didn’t have it tonight. That’s frustrating, especially after we fight to get back. Terrible game, and we’re playing terrible, but we dig and get back and make really bad decisions. That’s the frustrating part for me. How we started was really frustrating for me. I don’t get that one.”"

These stock lines are wearing thin – we can’t keep saying that we’re making bad decisions, then not hold those players making said bad decisions responsible. At some point, Rod is going to have to bench a good player to send a message. There will be at least two changes tonight, with Petr Mrazek given the night off in net and someone (perhaps Trevor van Riemsdyk) drawing in to cover for Haydn Fleury, who sustained an ‘upper-body injury’. We just want to see more Svech-Aho-Turbo please Rod. It’s the one thing giving us hope.

The Canes move on to tonight’s home game against Washington – come back shortly for your game preview here at Cardiac Cane.

Question for CC readers:

Do the Carolina Hurricanes bounce back tonight? And can anyone stop Alex Ovechkin from scoring?