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Carolina Hurricanes: Keys to beating Coyotes in the matinee

By Conor Power

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 19: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with teammate Andrei Svechnikov #37 following a goal scored during the first period in Game Two of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Nashville Predators at PNC Arena on May 19, 2021 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 19: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with teammate Andrei Svechnikov #37 following a goal scored during the first period in Game Two of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Nashville Predators at PNC Arena on May 19, 2021 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – MAY 19: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with teammate Andrei Svechnikov #37 following a goal scored during the first period in Game Two of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Nashville Predators at PNC Arena on May 19, 2021, in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – MAY 19: Sebastian Aho #20 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with teammate Andrei Svechnikov #37 following a goal scored during the first period in Game Two of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Nashville Predators at PNC Arena on May 19, 2021, in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Carolina’s stars shine through

We know that the Carolina Hurricanes have some of the most explosive talents in the sport. Tonight is a night where they can shine through and explode on the biggest stage. A matinee means the entire eyes of the hockey world will be on this game since there’s nothing else this early. Carolina’s stars will get to shine in front of the whole league.

This is a very injured Arizona team too, especially on the backend. Carolina’s depth can produce in situations like this, but in an ideal world, we will see Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov increase their point streaks to 8 games to open the season. They’re going to have to step up big in this game anyway.

Svechnikov’s 7 goals put him joint second for the league lead, and only two behind the great eight who leads the league. If that’s not a statement of intent from the Russian trying to repay the faith the organization put in him over the summer, I don’t know what is. His 11 points put him 7th in the league, with fewer games than a lot of those around him. He’s off to a great start and Carolina needs the Russian to keep at it.

Aho’s been very quiet, which is not the way I thought I would be describing someone who has 10 points in 7 games. Yet, if I asked you to point out a game this season where Aho completely took it over and dominated the game, there isn’t one. This is the standard we’ve set for the young Finn, and he’s not quite at that bar yet, which is exciting for the rest of the year.

These two are going to be the difference between these two teams. Arizona does not have access to this kind of star power. Arizona doesn’t have that elite league-leading threat. Carolina’s top-end talent will have to step up and be the difference if the Canes want to improve to 8-0-0 on the season and improve on the best start in Franchise history.

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