Carolina Hurricanes: Three Takeaways from Tuesday’s Win

After breaking a three-game skid against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday, the Carolina Hurricanes looked to start a new streak against some familiar faces.

In their matinée showdown with the struggling Blackhawks, the Carolina Hurricanes recaptured some of the mojo that had escaped them.  Statistically perfect showing on the power play and penalty kill, as well as a 32 save shutout from Petr Mrazek showed that Carolina wasn’t content to let their hot start slip away.

Enter the Calgary Flames.  Struggling to tread water in the Western Conference, the Bill Peters-led Flames came into PNC Arena sporting a 2-2-1 record over their previous five games.  That five-game stretch saw Calgary outscored 18-13.

The trio of Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and former Hurricane Elias Lindholm were held to a total of nine points (4g, 5a).  The goaltending tandem of Cam Talbot and David Rittich was inconsistent, ending that run with a save percentage of .899.

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, matched the Flames’ five-game stint record while notching an equal number of goals scored to those given up (13).  Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Teuvo Teravainen, three of Carolina’s most potent offensive threats, totaled twelve points (4g, 8a) while the duo of Mrazek and James Reimer put up a .906% save percentage.  Not a huge difference, as the records indicate.

For all the discipline issues that the Hurricanes have had, it’s been a bigger problem for the Flames.  Entering Tuesday night’s game, Calgary was second in the league in penalty minutes per game (11.3), including 30 in a game against the Los Angeles Kings.  Conversely, the Hurricanes came in at the number twelve spot, averaging 8.8 minutes per game.

With both teams set for puck drop, the match looked to be an even one.  What are the three takeaways that shaped the game and determined the outcome?

Mrazek holds the fort

First things first: you cannot legitimately fault Mrazek for Lindholm’s first-period goal.  Whereas his team spent a lot of time running around, the Hurricanes’ netminder did everything he could to keep Carolina within striking distance.

Through the first 40 minutes of play, Mrazek faced 25 Calgary shots, stopping all but one.  Through Carolina’s struggles in establishing their game, the Czech netminder refused to yield any ground.  With the Flames pushing the pace and stifling every Hurricanes’ attack, the pressure was on Mrazek.

He answered the call time after time, enabling his teammates to turn the tide.

With Tuesday’s win, Mrazek finishes October with a 6-1-1 record and a .917 save percentage.

Andrei Svechnikov elevates his game (and the puck)

Aside from Mrazek’s strong goaltending performance, there wasn’t a ton going right for the Carolina Hurricanes as the third period opened.  David Rittich was stopping everything that came his way and it seemed that the Hurricanes would need to think outside the box to get anything past him.

As the minutes ticked away, one thing popped into Andrei Svechnikov’s mind: The Michigan.

With just under eleven minutes to play, Svechnikov skated the puck behind the Calgary net.  With just enough time and space, he flipped the puck onto the blade of his stick and tucked it into the top corner.  The game was tied and the second-year winger had scored a goal for the ages.

With blood in the water and the PNC crowd electrified, the Hurricanes were finally able to establish their game.  With the Flames reeling, Tkachuk took a roughing penalty, giving Carolina their third power play of the game.

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Thirty-two seconds into the man advantage, Svechnikov fired a wrist shot past Rittich while Erik Haula provided a textbook screen.  The Hurricanes were up 2-1, though a late penalty to Dougie Hamilton ensured that sealing the victory wouldn’t be easy.

Thankfully, the lead held up and the clock ran out on the Hurricanes’ October with the team posting an 8-3-1 record.  Svechnikov’s second consecutive two-goal game placed his opening month stat line at 5 goals and 7 assists for 12 points in 12 games.

Next up: the Detroit Red Wings.

What were your takeaways from Tuesday’s win?  What are your projections for November?