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Three Hurricanes Takeaways from another gut wrenching loss to the New York Rangers

By Omar Abdelgawad

RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 7: Andrei Svechnikov #37 of the Carolina Hurricanes and Brendan Smith #42 of the New York Rangers battle for the loose puck during an NHL game on November 7, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - NOVEMBER 7: Andrei Svechnikov #37 of the Carolina Hurricanes and Brendan Smith #42 of the New York Rangers battle for the loose puck during an NHL game on November 7, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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RALEIGH, NC – NOVEMBER 7: Dougie Hamilton #19 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during an NHL game against the New York Rangers on November 7, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – NOVEMBER 7: Dougie Hamilton #19 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during an NHL game against the New York Rangers on November 7, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /

1. Hurricanes are Generating Plenty of shots

The Carolina Hurricanes offense last night came alive against the Rangers in the first period. They did everything right. Passed the puck cleanly and crisply. They entered the zone and stayed there. They generated chances all night. The puck was in the Rangers zone for so long they could have pulled Petr Mrazek from his end for an extra skater then opened up the Carolina zone for public skating.

They only thing they didn’t do for the entirety of a first period that had more shots than the rangers generated all game was score. The blame for that could be placed on a single man. Problem is he wasn’t wearing a Hurricanes sweater. Henrik Lundqvist made stop after stop after stop.

These were not easy shots either. Hank exploded out to meet the puck when needed and moved laterally on a dime to make every stop he needed to make. Had the Carolina Hurricanes managed to score once or twice in the first period, I would be writing a completely different post game article.

Looking back at each of the many attempts, there is a level of patience that is present by Carolina to try and create the perfect shooting opportunity and they get them. However Hank is either telepathic or just so good against that kind of offense that he read each and every single attempt to make the save. Perhaps it’s time to generate chaos not offense in order to score against guys like him?

But they failed to do so. The period ended shortly after Artemi Panarin did what the entire Carolina offense failed to do, score a goal. While Carolina did manage to sneak one past Hank in the second period of the stick of Dougie Hamilton, they also allowed the Rangers to do the same once again.

The third period saw the Rangers expand their lead to two goals before Sebastian Aho brought them back within one. However the Rangers managed to shut the door on an empty netter off the stick of Adam Fox as the rangers managed to generate a forecheck for the first time in the game at the most inopportune time for the Hurricanes.

That marked the ninth consecutive period the Carolina Hurricanes have gone into the locker room from without the lead. There are getting worn down mentally and it has affected their physical game. Perhaps a mental reset is needed before going into Ottawa.

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