Three takeaways as Canes win wild one in LA
Well, that game was insane. That is the most goals the Canes have allowed in a win this year, but the Canes manage to pull out a 5-4 win in the City of Angels as they top the Kings at Staple Center, move to the top of the NHL standings, and progress their lead at the top of the Metropolitan division. This game hurt everyone to watch, but the Canes pull out a major win.
This Los Angeles Kings team is a strong opponent, and the Canes managed to outgun this promising young team. When the Kings get older and become healthy, they will be a very good team in this league and the Canes did a great job in matching their offensive talent until the pure skating ability of their young Czech winger took over and saw them weather the Kings attacks.
Carolina is now certain to finish the long west coast road trip above .500. They have 2 wins in the California gauntlet already. This was far from a good performance but it was good enough to get the team two points in a tricky building and escape Tinseltown. This was a difficult game, but they got the desired result and at the end of the day, that is all that matters.
This was the first time in a while that this Carolina Hurricanes team was actually tested, and it became obvious early that this game was going to be difficult. In the end, the team found a way as good teams do. They are now sitting as the best team in the league and pending the result of the Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild, they could stay there.
Fred to the Wolves yet succeeding
Carolina had one of their worst displays of the season in this game, but the Carolina Hurricanes Danish netminder was up to the challenge time and again to keep the Canes in this one. It’s a difficult situation for any goalie to be in, but Frederik Andersen was there when the Carolina Hurricanes could not deal with the LA offense, and with how the Kings pressured, it was a long night for Andersen.
How often can you talk about a goalie who gives up four in a game and give him praise? This is one of those rare nights. In the final 20 minutes, Andersen got shelled allowing something close to 20 shots in the third period of this game. However, the Dane remained unfazed and steadied the ship, as the Canes in front of him continued to bend and bend, but would never break.
Andersen’s shot-stopping was all that kept Carolina in this game during stretches. With the team being greatly overmatched during the third period, it was everything the Hurricanes could do to keep the Kings out of the zone and out of their net. It was a struggle for the team and the goaltender, but in the end, Carolina’s Vezina candidate came through.
At the rate he is playing, Frederik Andersen is going to end up being a Vezina trophy candidate for the league’s best netminder. He’s been sensational since his arrival in Carolina, and he continues to shine. He allowed 4 goals and still had a save percentage north of .900 in this game. He also had an assist tonight, so even he got in on the scoring act.
Carolina shut it down in the third
It’s uncanny how good Carolina becomes in the third period of a game. They’re relatively mediocre in the first, they get stronger in the second, but as soon as the puck drops for the third period, they become absolutely elite. It’s like the red mist descends and they play with a purpose that they otherwise don’t have. It’s a different level of danger when it comes to the Canes in the third.
After allowing only six goals in the third period through 16 games, it’s easy to see why the Canes are 14-2 on the year. Carolina’s back end is just good enough to beat teams in closely fought games. Shutting it down in crunch time makes it easier for the team to win games. When your defense can close games out with relative ease in the tough times.
When the Carolina Hurricanes can put games out of reach due to their fantastic defensive style, it makes it easier to win games. It’s difficult when you have to contend with the third-period collapses, but Carolina’s ability to settle into a game the longer it goes on makes it easier for them in the third, and it makes them almost impossible to beat in overtime too.
Obviously, Carolina’s progressive settlements into the game allow them to dominate when the game is on the line, and it means that they can escape with two points when they really shouldn’t. It’s the hallmark of a good team to win games when the Canes can do this. They have the ability to turn it on when the time is right, and it helped them again today against LA.
Sebastian leads the team through LA
When you need to win a game that your team’s defense didn’t turn up to until the final 20 minutes, you’re going to need your stars to come through and hammer the opponents away. Today, the Sebastian Aho line lead the Hurricanes through a difficult game against a good, young Los Angeles Kings team. When the Carolina Hurricanes need him, Aho is there to guide the team.
He had a multipoint night in this game. He had an absolutely beautiful pass in the first period over to his rookie linemate to open the scoring in this wild game. Despite the fact that goal feels like it was forever ago, it was in the first period of this game. He also got himself a goal with a patient play to pass the puck into the middle, and it went in off the Kings defenseman’s skate.
Aho’s multipoint night sees him move closer to the front of the Carolina Hurricanes scoring race, but h still trails his Russian linemate. Aho’s going to be a big part of whatever the Canes do this year, and the Finnish star is starting to dominate games like we all know he can do. Aho’s ability to take games over and push the puck down the ice when he needs to is why he’s one of the best in the league.
When games are tight, like this one in Los Angeles, you need your stars to take games over and make sure that the team gets the two points. Aho did that in this one and he had been there time and again when the Hurricanes need him to be. However far the Carolina Hurricanes go this season will be in part due to Sebastian Aho and what he can guide the team through.
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