Carolina Hurricanes: Takeaways from Insane Road Win vs. Toronto

TORONTO,ON - DECEMBER 19: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on December 19, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Hurricanes 8-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO,ON - DECEMBER 19: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on December 19, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Hurricanes 8-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
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TORONTO,ON – DECEMBER 19: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on December 19, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Hurricanes 8-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
TORONTO,ON – DECEMBER 19: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on December 19, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Hurricanes 8-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

The Carolina Hurricanes miraculously trounced the Toronto Maple Leafs last night by a score of 6-3. Here’s what happened. (David Ayres is what happened.)

What even was that game?

I’m still struggling to process everything that happened, if I’m being completely honest, and I am writing this article the morning after.

I spent hours after the game going over what we all had just witnessed. A team that pays 4 of their ‘superstars’ half of their entire salary cap getting worked in the middle of a playoff push by a team who was coming into last night’s game having just played the night before (and lost), and had a 42-year old zamboni driver in net for them after losing both one of their best defensemen in Brett Pesce, as well as both goaltenders.

Let that sink in. The NHL 20 cover athlete, the infallible Auston Matthews, couldn’t score on a 42-year old zamboni driver who works for the home team and practices with them often.

I’m still speechless, and I’m still not entirely sure what exactly happened. Before I begin, I have two disclaimers: 1) This isn’t going to be your normal takeaways article, and 2) The images in this article are still going to be nowhere near current or of last night’s game. Completely out of my control. Without further ado, here we go.

Schedule