Carolina Hurricanes: Keys to First Miniseries Sweep vs. Chicago
Tonight, the Carolina Hurricanes look to finish up their first miniseries versus Chicago in the 2020-21 regular season with a sweep against the Blackhawks. If the Canes can pull it off, this will be the second miniseries sweep they’ve managed to pull off this season after sweeping the Dallas Stars at home in Raleigh last week.
In Tuesday night’s game, Chicago proved to be a more worthy opponent than was first anticipated; the Carolina Hurricanes couldn’t finish them off in regulation or the overtime period, and the teams resolved their differences in a shootout.
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James Reimer made an incredible glove save on Patrick Kane, which allowed Andrei Svechnikov to seal the deal for the Canes and close out the first of 8 meetings between the two teams this season.
Tonight’s game should hopefully end a bit sooner; we all love bonus hockey, but for all of our cardiovascular health’s sake, I’m hoping for a regulation win. Not only will this give the Canes a 7-1-0 record, but it’ll keep Chicago from collecting a slew of consolation points by forcing games into overtime or the shootout.
For the Carolina Hurricanes to make their second sweep of the season a reality, I think we’ll need to see more continued dominance from Vincent Trocheck, continued success on special teams, and continued stability in the crease.
Trocheck’s Impact
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it a thousand times: Vincent Trocheck is a massive addition to the Carolina Hurricanes’ roster.
Trocheck embodies the type of player that fully clicks with Rod Brind’amour’s style of hockey; successful at both scoring goals and preventing them while maintaining a strong physical presence anywhere on the ice.
4 goals, 2 assists, and a game-winner@V_Trocheck is the @SASsoftware Player of the Month 💪 pic.twitter.com/b1fHKXGDSs
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 2, 2021
Trocheck, along with Russian phenom Andrei Svechnikov, have all but carried the Carolina Hurricanes’ offensive production, tied for the team lead in both goals (5) and points (7) in 7 games played apiece.
Look for Trocheck to be just as effective at stymieing the Chicago Blackhawks tonight as he was in Tuesday night’s game.
Special Teams Success
The Carolina Hurricanes have seen a tremendous uptick in special teams production after their return from having their season put on pause due to complications from COVID.
In 7 games played, the Carolina Hurricanes have had 27 powerplay opportunities that have led to 7 powerplay goals. More than 50% of those goals have come within the past three games, giving the Canes the 10th best powerplay in the league at 25.9%.
Let's relive last night's win, shall we? pic.twitter.com/ycORFly4yD
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 3, 2021
As far as penalty killing goes, the Carolina Hurricanes have always been very solid on the PK, and this season has been no exception so far. The Canes currently boast the 3rd best penalty kill in the league, trailing Colorado (1st) and Boston (2nd) with a penalty kill percentage of 88%.
Special teams, especially the penalty kill, have always been a deciding factor for the Carolina Hurricanes; the past few years, however, it has proven to be a driving force in the Canes’ success as opposed to a driving force behind the Canes’ mediocrity pre-2018. Hopefully they continue their trend with special teams tonight in Chicago.
Stability in the Crease
James Reimer is set to start again tonight, confirming that the Carolina Hurricanes, for whatever reason, have little to no confidence in Alex Nedeljkovic as a capable backup goaltender.
This doesn’t quite make sense to me; you know what kind of team you’re going up against in the Chicago Blackhawks, and you have to think that giving your fresh backup goalie a few starts against the less competitive teams would be the right thing to do to get him warmed up and reacquainted with the game at the NHL level, but I digress.
Reimer has been nothing short of fantastic in Petr Mrazek‘s stead, sporting a 4-0-0 win/loss record, and backstopping the Carolina Hurricanes to two consecutive shootout victories.
Two BIG saves from James 💪 pic.twitter.com/9hNumnJ5vN
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 3, 2021
I have no doubt that Reimer will provide the same level of top-class goaltending that he has given us since being acquired from the Florida Panthers.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that tonight’s game ends in regulation time with the Carolina Hurricanes ahead, but if it does go into overtime or yet another shootout, I have no shortage of confidence that James Reimer will pull us through and secure yet another 2 points and another notch in the ‘W’ column on this blistering winning streak the Canes have managed to string together.
Final Notes
Location: United Center, Chicago IL
TV: Fox Sports Carolinas
Radio: 99.9 The Fan
Uniforms: White Aways
Potential Lineup:
- Teravainen – Aho – McGinn
- Niederreiter – Trocheck – Necas
- Svechnikov – Staal – Foegele
- Dzingel – Geekie – Martinook
- Slavin – Hamilton
- Skjei – Pesce
- Gardiner – Fleury
Goalie Matchup:
Carolina: James Reimer, 4-0-0, .915% save percentage, 2.19 GAA
Chicago: Malcolm Subban, 0-1-1, .889 save percentage, 3.95 GAA
109. 2. 94. Prediction. 6
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