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?

Sloppy First Period

The first period started off well for the Hurricanes, with Warren Foegele receiving a prime scoring opportunity, only to be bested by Rittich.  That, unfortunately, was the high point of the opening stanza for Carolina.

The Hurricanes took the game’s first penalty with Foegele whistled for high-sticking.  This ended up being short-lived as Calgary captain Mark Giordano went off for interference 1:03 later.  The home team did little on their abbreviated power play, failing to get clean entries, let alone set up for any sustained pressure.

The futility began to envelop the period as Calgary was able to dictate the game’s pace, aided by Carolina’s inaccurate passes and careless defensive play.  This was best exemplified when captain Jordan Staal misread his coverage which allowed Lindholm to open the scoring at 13:04.

The trend continued throughout the remainder of the period, the unbalanced play not reflected in the shot total (12-11 in favor of the Flames).  Calgary appeared to open up a 2-0 lead on a Mikael Backlund goal when Rod Brind’Amour did what he does and executed a flawless challenge.  The play was ruled offside, and the first period ended with the visitors holding a 1-0 lead.

Considering how much time the Hurricanes spent chasing the puck, it could have been much worse.

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.

More from Cardiac Cane

• 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase: Takeaways from the Canes’ Strong Showing in Florida
• Week Two Coverage Of College Hockey In NC
• Derek Stepan Ends His On Ice Career As A Hurricane
• The Southeast Rookie Showcase Will Be a Good Look at Carolina’s Future
• Noesen Ready To Provide Depth For Canes

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?