Carolina Hurricanes: Keys to Keep Rolling Against Columbus

Enter, Cedric Paquette

The biggest question mark going into Monday night’s tilt with the Blue Jackets is newly acquired center, Cedric Paquette. To avoid the lengthy quarantine protocol after leaving the Ottawa Senators and crossing the border, Paquette drove quite a distance from Ottawa down to Raleigh.

The Canes making the addition of Paquette adds much needed grit to the lineup, as well as some championship pedigree from his recent Stanley Cup run with Tampa Bay. While it’s known that the likes of Jordan Staal, Jordan Martinook, and sometimes Andrei Svechnikov like to throw the body around, Paquette is a player that can bring the sort of consistent sandpaper hockey that the Canes have been missing for a while.

As reported by Michael Smith, Cedric Paquette was seen at Monday’s morning skate centering Jordan Martinook and Jesper Fast. While I’m sad to see Morgan Geekie and Steven Lorentz back on the taxi squad while the team is at full health, all eyes will be on the Canes’ fourth line tonight.

Turn Possession Into Offense

The Carolina Hurricanes are currently first in the Central Division and third in the NHL for their faceoff percentage at 53.6%. Jordan Staal (61.4%) and Vincent Trocheck (56.1%) have been a huge part of this success in the faceoff circle, winning possession for the Hurricanes at a high rate.

Win possession, win the game, right?

While the Canes boast an impressive faceoff unit, this hasn’t shown a noticeable transition to the scoreboard. During Carolina’s six-game road trip, they won the faceoff battle in every game, but the shots on goal ended up totaling dead-even at 178 shots-on-goal for the Canes and their opponents (29.67 per game).

While I can also chalk this up as a big reason for Staal and Trocheck’s current point production, I would love to see the wealth distributed a bit more to the first line, if at all possible.

If the Canes can find a way to sustain this success in the faceoff dot and then turn it into higher volume shooting or simply more quality chances from better possessions, the one goal losses will start to turn into overtime trips and the overtime trips will turn into regulation wins (no more dreaded three-point games).

Can Reimer Return to Form?

James Reimer currently boasts a 6-1-0 record on the year, but his performance has definitely cooled off since his first few games.

Over the six-game road trip, he started four games in which he averaged an .863 SV% and a 4.0 GAA. Not ideal, I would say. I’m sure I sound spoiled after Petr Mrazek’s magnificent first three games, but regardless of how good both of your goalies may be, you always want to have a clear #1 starter.

I think Monday night will have plenty of opportunities for Reimer to surge some confidence back into his game, now that the Canes’ regulars are looking like their old selves before the COVID protocol pause.

However, Haydn Fleury has been projected as a scratch for the Columbus game and Jake Bean will take his place. Fleury leads the entire team in blocked shots at 20 on the season, but has yet to record a point through 12 games. Will Fleury’s absence affect the defensive side of the ice, or can Bean pick up where he left off?

Reimer has shown us some magic in the past, but the Blue Jackets were able to hang five on him last time. Hopefully he can get comfortable being between the pipes back in PNC Arena.

Game Notes

Location: PNC Arena

TV: Fox Sports Carolinas

Radio: 99.9 The Fan

Uniforms: Red Homes

Potential Lineup:

• McGinn – Aho – Teravainen
• Niederreiter – Trocheck – Necas
• Svechnikov – Staal – Foegele
• Martinook – Paquette – Fast
• Slavin – Hamilton
• Gardiner – Pesce
• Skjei – Bean

Projected Goalie Matchup:

Columbus: Joonas Korpisalo
Carolina: James Reimer

According to moneypuck.com, the Carolina Hurricanes have a 69.6% chance of winning tonight’s matchup.