Carolina Hurricanes Drop Pitched Battle vs Leafs

Not Going to Pull Punches Here. No. They did Not Start on Time.

The first five minutes of this game can only be described as abysmal. The Carolina Hurricanes looked lazy and horrendously uncoordinated, although Toronto at first didn’t look much better. Then came the Pesce double-minor penalty. It took William Nylander thirty seconds to score the first power play goal, erasing a minute and thirty seconds from the penalty clock.

John Tavares would notch his second power play goal of the season less than a minute later (5:10, first period), which forced the goalie switch for Carolina. Toronto taking such a commanding lead over the Canes, spurred the team to action, along with Petr’s entry to the crease. Carolina began to run the game for the next 34:50, however.

This dominance wouldn’t last, though. A stubborn and desperate Leafs team found new hope as Auston Matthews notched his twenty-fourth of the year only barely two and a half minutes into the third frame. Erik Haula would find home his second of the game and spark hope for the team, and its fans, not quite four minutes later.

It was the last goal the Hurricanes would score, as their control of the game slipped to unmanageable levels. Toronto’s Mitchell Marner would tie the game up at six off of a faceoff, won by Carolina, in a desperation move that broke the comeback efforts of the Hurricanes.

Carolina Hurricanes take the Special Teams Battle in Style

Despite the loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Carolina Hurricanes, in my opinion, won the special teams battle in Ontario this afternoon. Although they dropped the initial penalty kills for Pesce’s double-minor that resulted in the Maple Leafs’ three-goal lead, they successfully killed off the additional two Toronto power plays of the afternoon.

The first successful kill was a thing of beauty, as mentioned in the article opening. A short-handed goal for Brock McGinn, his second of the season that sparked the fantastic game we all witnessed.  And a goal that appeared to break the will of Toronto, no less. This short-handed goal also put Carolina as the league-leaders in short-handed goals with eight on the year thus far.

Then we have the second goal, of the five unanswered, that Carolina scored. A powerplay goal by none other than rookie phenom and fan-favorite Martin Necas, putting the Hurricanes within one in the final minute of the first period.

These two goals changed the dynamics between the two teams for nearly forty minutes’ worth of hockey. A fantastic effort that, unfortunately, would end up squandered in the third period.

For a Time, yes the Carolina Hurricanes did

Not in the initial minutes of the game did the Carolina Hurricanes take any control, nor shut down Toronto’s biggest names. The Canes gave them time, space, and opportunity in which Toronto quickly capitalized on. During the goaltender swap-out, I imagine that Rod Brind’Amour gave the team a very stern lecture because, after that, the Hurricanes went on a run.

Toronto quickly found themselves being outplayed by the Hurricanes once Mrazek took the crease, with the hits and pressure rapidly piling on. Carolina outshot the Leafs in the first frame sixteen to twelve, highlighting the beginning of the shift. Toronto would find itself outshot, fourteen to eight, in the second frame and down by two.

The shift in the effort, aggressiveness, and dedication wouldn’t last the entirety of the game, however. In the final frame, Toronto would once again establish dominance in Scotiabank Arena, outshooting the Carolina Hurricanes nineteen-to-ten, and scoring five goals to propel them to the lead.

The Athletic beat reporter Sara Civian (@SaraCivian) caught up with the Hurricanes after the game, and from what she’s Tweeted out, isn’t pretty. She quotes Erik Haula, who calls the loss “brutal,” which it was. But more scathing was head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s reaction.

Rod isn’t known to pull any punches, figurative not literal, in the post-game scrum or the locker room. But this? It’s a reaction that came as surprising after such a strong effort by the Canes, although Rod’s frustration is understandable.

Cardiac Cane Three Stars of the Game and Miscellaneous Notes

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

• Stars of the Game:
  • 1st Star⭐
    • Martin Necas
      • 2 Goals, 2 Assists, +3 Rating
      • Top 5 Highest Points Among Rookies in NHL
  • 2nd Star⭐⭐
    • Brock McGinn
      • 1 Shorthanded Goal, 2 Shots On Goal, 1 Hit
  • 3rd Star⭐⭐⭐
    • Erik Haula
      • 2 Goals, 1 Assist, +2 Rating
• Notes:
  • Next Away Game: Fri, 27 December 2019
    • Versus New York Islanders @ Madison Square Gardens
  • Next Home Game: Sat, 28 December 2019
    • Versus Washington Capitals

Question for CC Readers: What do you think the Carolina Hurricanes need to change to get back on a winning streak?