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3 takeaways as Canes return to play with a win over Habs

By Conor Power

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 16: Jack Drury #72 of the Carolina Hurricanes is presented the game puck by his teammate Derek Stepan #18 following the game against the Detroit Red Wings at PNC Arena on December 16, 2021 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 16: Jack Drury #72 of the Carolina Hurricanes is presented the game puck by his teammate Derek Stepan #18 following the game against the Detroit Red Wings at PNC Arena on December 16, 2021 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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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) /

Carolina’s special teams are the major difference in this one

Carolina’s special teams were the major difference in this game. With three powerplay tallies and a short-handed marker in this one, Carolina’s coaching discipline paid off as they hammered home their superior talent to outwork the Canadiens and ensure that they put the team far enough ahead with the special teams to allow the 5v5 units to rest a little bit and ease themselves back into the routine.

Carolina’s three powerplay goals were desperately needed. 3/5 on the man advantage was a large part of this game with a rebound garbage goal, a tic-tac-toe snipe, and trial and error throwing the puck into the wheelhouse of a specific Finn were what saw the team put the puck in the net and outscore their opponents in this one. Carolina won in a comfortable fashion in the end.

Carolina’s special teams ended this game quite convincingly. 4 goals in this game and none of them were recorded at even strength, drastically increasing the numbers for the special teams’ units when the team couldn’t dominate with equal numbers. It’s important to dominate in any way you can, even when you’re not at your best so you add 2 points in the standings and the Canes did that.

Carolina’s scoring on the powerplay has been inconsistent this year. Sometimes, the powerplay is dominant and it clicks to be the difference in big games. However, it’s also had a bad habit of disappearing when the Canes are trailing. In this game, it was the driving force behind the Canes big victory in this game.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 16: Antti Raanta #32 of the Carolina Hurricanes takes a break during a stop in play in the second period of a game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on November 16, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Hurricanes defeated the Golden Knights 4-2. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 16: Antti Raanta #32 of the Carolina Hurricanes takes a break during a stop in play in the second period of a game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on November 16, 2021, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Hurricanes defeated the Golden Knights 4-2. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Antti Raanta answered the call again

When the Carolina Hurricanes put out a call for a great goaltender to step up and answer the call for the team when their starter was thrown on the COVID-19 list, Antti Raanta. Carolina’s backup netminder cured a lot of the teams’ issues when they couldn’t get it going. Obviously, he wasn’t the only reason they won the game, but he was solid.

Getting his first shutout as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes, Raanta excelled in this game. Making a lot of timely stops, Raanta shut the door in the face of the Canadiens attackers and made sure that the Canes were never behind the eight-ball, and had a solid base to push forward from to build their lead and really get out of sight in a hurry in that first period.

Raanta has struggled at times this season, but this game seemed to be his reward for all the ales he has had. When he’s been called upon to be perfect, he’s been there or thereabout. He’s let in some rough goals, but he’s not been a reason for the Canes losing this season. In fact, you could make the argument his reliability is one of the reasons the Canes can afford to rest their starter so much.

Carolina’s Finnish goaltender has been a major reason for the Canes performing well when he’s been in the crease. He’s been solid and is looking like a good option for the team moving forward. He’s going to do what the team needs him to. He can’t steal games the way others can, but he can certainly ensure that you do not lose them, and that’s all you can ask for from a netminder.

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