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Carolina Hurricanes: Three keys to winning Matinee in LA

By Conor Power

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 18: Seth Jarvis #24 of the Carolina Hurricanes is congratulated at the bench after scoring a goal during the third period of a game against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on November 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 18: Seth Jarvis #24 of the Carolina Hurricanes is congratulated at the bench after scoring a goal during the third period of a game against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on November 18, 2021 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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SUNRISE, FL – NOVEMBER 6: Head coach Rod Brind’Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes directs the players during a break in action against the Florida Panthers at the FLA Live Arena on November 6, 2021, in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FL – NOVEMBER 6: Head coach Rod Brind’Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes directs the players during a break in action against the Florida Panthers at the FLA Live Arena on November 6, 2021, in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /

Start on time

Carolina has an absolutely horrible track record of showing up to matinee games and having a slow start, and then having to fight from behind and relying on their star-studded roster to get them out of trouble. This cannot be the case when they take on the Los Angeles Kings. With the City of Angels already a difficult place to play, they need to show up on time because they can’t afford to be behind.

At 8-6-2, the Carolina Hurricanes are going to take on an opponent that knows how to start games in order to win them. They cannot take this Kings team lightly, or they will quickly see that record improve in the win column. Carolina needs to show up on time, and play well. Not give everything in game 16 of the regular season, but get the two points and move on to San Jose.

With the Canes being involved in a matinee, this sparks fears throughout the Carolina Hurricanes fanbase. They have a notoriously bad record in matinees and are playing what feels like the fifth one of the season for them. If they want to be a successful team, starting when the game starts is the most important thing. Even if you’re beaten, if you start on time, you give yourself a chance to win.

They did not do this against Arizona on Halloween, and it nearly cost them the game. It’s only because the Arizona Coyotes roster is made up of every bad contract in the NHL that the Canes were able to get through that game with two points and escape that trap. It looks like the winless Coyotes were going to beat the perfect record Canes in that one, and this Kings team is three times more deadly than those Yotes.

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