Carolina Hurricanes vs. Nashville Predators: The Chase

The Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators suit up ahead of a crucial chase game for both franchises.

As of the writing of this article (1620 February 17, 2020), both the Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators sit but a point out from their respective second wild card spot. The Hurricanes trail the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Nashville Predators trail the Arizona Coyotes. Why does that matter? Because both teams are going to be going into this game desperate to walk away with two points.

Both hockey clubs have twenty-four games remaining, including this one, in the season. That’s a potential forty-eight points for both clubs, that absolutely need them. The Hurricanes only tabbed a point against Edmonton, in a game that they dead-to-rights should have won. Instead, they walked away with an overtime loss. It was the kind of game that SportsNet’s Steve “Dangle” Glynn (@steve_dangle) would go on one of his customary Leafs Fan Reactions tirades about.

Hell, it’s the kind of game that I went on a tirade about not so long ago when the Hurricanes lost to the Capitals a month ago. This team cannot keep throwing away games that they should (and need) to win. So when that puck drops, the Hurricanes have to put forth every effort in walking away with the dub.

The Hurricanes are 6-3-1 in their last ten games, with a road record of 14-12-2, while the Predators are riding a three-game win streak, and are 7-3 in their previous ten. Comparatively, the Predators are 16-11-3 at home. With late-season desperation setting in as the post-season nears, the team that nets two points will be the one wanting it more.

There are, however, three keys that can help push that want to its maximum potential.

The Carolina Hurricanes Treat the Penalty Box Like Its Groundhog Day (the movie, not the actual day).

The Carolina Hurricanes rank second, second in short-handed time-on-ice within the National Hockey League, with 342:33 across 205 times short-handed. That’s an average of a minute and forty-five seconds, and three-to-four penalties per game. That adds up ridiculously quickly. That’s on top of a slightly above average penalty kill percentage, 82.4% (169/205). In the Edmonton game, this was the game-changer.

The Hurricanes forfeited a two-to-nothing goal lead thanks to penalties, in a game they were outplaying their opponent. They cannot continue to do so! I, as a fan, do not know what the team has to do discipline-wise to stay away from the penalty box. At this point, I don’t think even Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour knows, with the frustration we’ve seen behind the bench at times.

We could blame the officiating, but for this to be a season-long problem? No. It isn’t the officiating (for the most part). There has been a systemic on-ice discipline problem that, despite all efforts, hasn’t been nipped in the bud. Forty-three and a half percent of the 23-man roster (10/23) has twenty or more penalties in minutes, and six of those have greater than thirty.

One of those is Hurricanes All-Star Dougie “Is A Forward” Hamilton, who’s injury took him out for the rest of the regular season, so in reality, we have nine active players over twenty penalty minutes. It is still indicative of the team having a scandalous love affair with the sin bin over disciplined play.

The Carolina Hurricanes need to spend less time in their defensive zone.

One of the most significant issues the Carolina Hurricanes have had as of late is clearing the puck. Whether it be on a penalty kill, or during even-strength, getting the puck away from their defensive zone has been problematic. The Hurricanes have one of the best-expected goals (xG/60) in the league, yet are currently in a terrible spot defensively.

The Canes can generate offense; it’s a matter of getting to that point. The goaltending duo, Petr Mrazek and James Reimer, have seen an average of thirty-one shots against in each of their last five starts. While it’s a league-average number faced, both netminders themselves are also league-average goalies. The team as a whole has to be able to limit the time spent on the wrong side of their blue line.

It has been especially true on many penalty kills, including Andrei Svechnikov‘s hi-sticking infraction yesterday. The Oilers managed to get a goal just as the powerplay expired because the Hurricanes couldn’t clear the puck. The same could be said of Kailer Yamamoto‘s powerplay goal as well.

And this will be especially pertinent against the Predators, as we refer back to Sean Tierney’s (@ChartingHockey) graphic for a moment, who not only generate quality offense but can also follow through on it. Letting the mustard cats run amok like a kitten with a ball of string isn’t something I’d recommend.

The Carolina Hurricanes need to convert on the man advantage. Period.

The Carolina Hurricanes went zero-for-three in Sunday’s contest against the Edmonton Oilers, an issue that easily cost them the game. Against the Nashville Predators, the powerplay units will have to find a way to get pucks on twine at any opportunity. The Predators currently have the least-effective penalty kill special teams in the league, ranking 31 of 31.

The Predators, similar to the Hurricanes, offer three powerplay advantages per game. With the mustard cats PK% at 74.3, well below the league average of 79.9%, there is plenty of room for the Canes to get an easy goal. The Hurricanes powerplay, on the other hand, is slightly above the NHL average of twenty percent.

Big players on the powerplay units such as Teuvo “Turbo” Teravainen (19 PPP), Svechnikov (15 PPP), and Sebastian “Fishy” Aho (12 PPP) need to step up and get it done. Even Martin “Marty” Necas, who has seven powerplay points with three powerplay goals, could aim to put that little extra in. Especially in light of the void left in the first powerplay unit, thanks to Dougie’s injury, who had twelve powerplay points.

Even if the Canes don’t need the powerplay goal, they need the powerplay goal. With the special teams’ disparity between the Canes and Preds, there is absolutely no reason they shouldn’t. Not to mention that one: we like free Bo-Berry biscuits from Bojangles, and two: it’ll theoretically put us a leg up on the Preds.