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Carolina Hurricanes: Heart-breakers become curse-breakers

By Jon Orr

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 03: Andrei Svechnikov #37, Warren Foegele #13, and Petr Mrazek #34 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 on January 3, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 03: Andrei Svechnikov #37, Warren Foegele #13, and Petr Mrazek #34 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 on January 3, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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October 29, 2010 seems like an eternity ago. Sebastian Aho was 13 years  old, Justin Faulk was a rookie, and it was also the last time the Carolina Hurricanes left Madison Square Garden victorious. Until last night!

It had been 3,025 days since the Carolina Hurricanes had won a hockey game at Madison Square Garden. The Canes had been riding an embarrassing 17-game road losing streak against the New York Rangers going into last night’s game at the Garden. While the Rangers chose to live in the past by honoring their 1994 Stanley Cup team, the Hurricanes took a big step towards changing their future by shutting out the New York Rangers 3-0.

It could be considered routine for a team that has been one of the hottest since the start of 2019 to defeat a team that sits 9 points behind them and next to last in the Metropolitan Division. Yet when it comes to the Carolina Hurricanes this season, they have been anything but routine. Coming off a 6-5 overtime victory against the Buffalo Sabres, where the team gave up a two goal lead on two different occasions and were the victims of a Rod Brind’Amour verbal tirade, it would be fair to assume last night’s game had the potential to be a let down. After all, the last Canes-Rangers game had seen the Canes lose badly.

The two teams played defensively sound hockey for the first two periods, and it was not until 6:43 into the third period that the lamp was finally lit. Warren Foegele did the honors with a wrister from the slot, courtesy of a beautiful backhand pass from Saku Maenalanen in transition.

While the goal was the 7th this season for the rookie, credit goes to teammates Greg McKegg and Maenalanen for the great puck movement that drew the defense to one side, allowing Foegele to skate in for a clean look on future Hall of Fame goalie Henrik Lundqvist. The Canes’ last two goals were both scored on the empty net, by Andrei Svechnikov and Brock McGinn, to secure another shutout victory.

Last night proved to be a total team effort in breaking the team’s long MSG curse. From the outstanding puck movement by the Foegele line, to Jaccob Slavin (above) channeling his inner Justin Faulk with a goal-saving stick save, the team took a giant leap by breaking this skid and winning in Madison Square Garden.

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What is more important than the exorcism of the team’s MSG demons is the fact that the team has played 11-3-1 (.785) hockey since Jan. 1st, with each goalie delivering with a shutout on the current road trip.

The team will continue their Northeast Road trip tomorrow with an afternoon game against the New Jersey Devils – and while the team sits one point behind Pittsburgh for the last wildcard spot, the team remains trending upward. This upward trend has Canes fans clamoring for the final curse facing the Carolina Hurricanes to be broken: playoff hockey. And the way this team is playing, they’re going to give it a hell of a run.

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