Three keys to the Carolina Hurricanes Rebound Against the Florida Panthers
The Carolina Hurricanes had a four-game winning streak snapped by the Philadelphia Flyers in a close game. The Hurricanes have a chance to rebound against the Florida Panthers.
The Hurricanes had started their four-game winning streak with a 8-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. They went on to accomplish a feat this franchise usually doesn’t; a perfect road trip. Victories over the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, and the Chicago Blackhawks keeps the Hurricanes competitive.
Despite winning four in a row, the Hurricanes find themselves fourth in the Metropolitan Division again. The Pittsburgh Penguins are currently riding a four-game point streak, the New York Islanders are riding a five-game winning streak, and with their win two nights ago, the Philadelphia Flyers only trail the Hurricanes by a point.
If you don’t overachieve in this division, you don’t achieve anything in this league. The only thing the four-game winning streak, unfortunately, has done is fix the four-game losing streak right before it. The start of that winning streak should be tonight, on Hockey Fights Cancer night.
This season, our #HockeyFightsCancer jerseys feature a personal touch
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) November 23, 2019
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The Florida Panthers are no light opponent. They’ve won five out of their last six games, their last three losses on the season have been close one-goal differences. They are second in the Atlantic Division and only trail the Boston Bruins for first by four points.
Their captain Aleksander Barkov has led by example with the most assists on their team and second place in points with 29, under goal-leading Jonathan Huberdeau. With a tougher opponent, what will the Hurricanes need to do to get the win? There are three keys for that.
1. Stop Choking the Lead
In their last four games, despite winning three of them, the Carolina Hurricanes have held multiple goal leads and saw it get chipped away. The frightening part is these games being against inferior teams in the standings.
They play the Buffalo Sabres in Buffalo. They had a 3-1 lead, that lead vanishes and a late 4-3 lead collapses, as Buffalo brings the extra attacker out, forcing an overtime winner from Dougie Hamilton.
The next stop in the road trip goes to Minnesota against the Minnesota Wild, with the Hurricanes having a 2-0 and 3-1 lead at times and once again, needing overtime to win the game. Andrei Svechnikov would save the day with a puck that had eyes.
Although the Hurricanes woke up and prevented overtime, a 3-0 lead that becomes a 3-2 lead, with all those goals in the 3rd period is concerning. The Chicago Blackhawks should’ve read their homework before the game. The Carolina Hurricanes do not choke a three-goal load, but they choke a two-goal lead.
The Hurricanes also had a 2-0 lead against the Philadelphia Flyers at home, which didn’t end in a good story. Just like the beginning of the season, going into an intense overtime or shootout isn’t going to work out every time. Blowing leads is irresponsible and reckless, a good team will finish that comeback in extra time, the trend needs to stop tonight.
2. Top Forwards Shine
Sebastian Aho has scored at least a goal in four of his last five games. As always, Aho starts out slow and heats up, and he has done that. Six points in five games is impressive and having Aho with the best forwards on this team helps a lot.
Andrei Svechnikov is holding onto a six-game point streak and has got featured on the NHL’s social media and with EA Sports increasing his player rating. Svechnikov is starting to prove to be this team’s best forward, only a second year into his career.
Teuvo Teravainen leads this team in assists at 15. The great part of these three is that they have been connected on a line together and have flowed. Svechnikov has four powerplay goals and Aho has two shorthanded goals, this line is not only effective even strength, but also for special teams.
The top line will need to break through, similar to how they broke through earlier in the season against the Panthers at their BB&T Arena. Like that game, the special teams are a key to the forwards having the opportunity to shine.
3. Special Team Success
The powerplay has definitely got better, especially improving without the key piece of Erik Haula. In Buffalo and in Raleigh two nights again, the Hurricanes were able to score a powerplay goal.
The bad news comes when the Hurricanes also gave up a shorthanded goal against the Minnesota Wild and a shorthanded goal against the Philadelphia Flyers. Although the Hurricanes are 8th in both powerplay and penalty-kill percentage, a shorthanded goal isn’t factored into the effectiveness of a powerplay.
Haula was a vital piece of the powerplay, as he would always crash the net and take the goalie’s eyes out. It seems Nino Niederreiter and Jordan Staal are doing a decent job at replacing Haula temporarily in that role, but there is room for improvement. If the goalie’s eyes are out and someone, let’s say Svechnikov, with his great shot, that’s an easy powerplay goal.
Year after year, the Metropolitan Division is the toughest division to play in. Second in the Metropolitan Division now is equivalent to first in every other division. The Hurricanes have been better against good teams, for some particular reason, and the Panthers can be another good team they conquer.
Prediction. 5. 109. 2. 97
The Hurricanes will have to start James Reimer in one of these starts, as this is the start of a back-to-back. This isn’t a home and home back-to-back either, they have to start heading for Detroit right after this game to see the Red Wings. A win for momentum will go a long way.
On Hockey Fights Cancer night, puck drop begins at 7:00 PM Eastern Time. The Carolina Hurricanes take on the red hot Florida Panthers, on Fox Sports Carolinas.
Must Read. If The Carolina Hurricanes Were a 90’s TV Show. light
Question for Cardiac Cane Readers: Will Andrei Svechnikov extend his point streak to seven games?