Cardiac Cane
Fansided

Carolina Hurricanes: Three Keys to Victory in Pittsburgh

By Matthew Nidiffer

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 22: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves the puck against Teuvo Teravainen #86 of the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period of their game at PNC Arena on December 22, 2018 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Penguins won 3-0. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 22: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves the puck against Teuvo Teravainen #86 of the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period of their game at PNC Arena on December 22, 2018 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Penguins won 3-0. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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UNIONDALE, NEW YORK – MARCH 07: Haydn Fleury #4 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates his goal against the New York Islanders at 13:22 of the Carolina Hurricanes at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum on March 07, 2020 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK – MARCH 07: Haydn Fleury #4 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates his goal against the New York Islanders at 13:22 of the Carolina Hurricanes at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum on March 07, 2020 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

1. Score First

After yesterday’s game, the Carolina Hurricanes are now 19-0-1 this season when scoring the first goal.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s article, the only other team in the league to be undefeated in regulation after scoring the first goal are the Washington Capitals.

Scoring the first goal is huge for the Carolina Hurricanes, as they have found themselves chasing more than their fair share of games here lately after conceding the first goal (or several goals, in some cases) to their opponents.

If there were ever an opponent to score on first, it’d be the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins have a vast array of scoring threats in their arsenal; obviously Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but even players like Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust have been on fire offensively this season.

The Canes need to score first in today’s game, and hold the subsequent lead for as long as possible to give themselves the best possible chance of toppling another Metropolitan Division opponent.

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