The Carolina Hurricanes and the Philadelphia Flyers began a weekend home-and-home on Saturday night in the City of Brotherly Love. The Canes are perfect to begin their Metropolitan week, briefly taking the division lead by beating the Capitals in a shootout on Thursday. The second line was rolling in the game, with Nikolaj Ehlers and Logan Stankoven recording a goal and an assist each in the win.
Pyotr Kochetkov was in the net, trying to get back on the winning side of things after dropping his first game of the season on Sunday against the Sharks. The lineup around him was the same from Thursday night. The Flyers selected Samuel Ersson to take the start, meaning Brandon Bussi and Dan Vladar will likely get the call tomorrow night.
The Canes played a good first half of the opening period. Their power play looked solid, getting good chances. Unfortunately, they couldn't cash. Things fell apart over the final ten minutes, and the Flyers scored twice. Bobby Brink got it started by snapping one home from the slot halfway through. Then, Trevor Zegras found a spot at the top of the crease to bang one home, making it 2-0 after 20.
The second period was much kinder to Carolina. Shayne Gostisbehere intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and sent the puck to Nikolaj Ehlers, who scored his second goal in as many games to get the Canes on the board. Late in the frame, Alexander Nikishin's drive from the point redirected off Noah Cates' skate and into the net to tie it, creating a brand new ballgame for the third.
Each side scored in the third period, striking 23 seconds apart. Seth Jarvis went to his shootout move on a breakaway, sliding his 18th goal of the season just over the line to give the Canes their first lead. It was very short-lived when Carl Grundstrom went top-shelf on a 2-on-1 to draw things even at three, where it stood after 60 minutes.
Neither side walked it off in overtime, pushing the Canes to their second straight shootout against a Flyers team that hadn't lost in the skills competition. No one scored in the first three rounds, sending it to extra skaters. Kochetkov pulled out his patented poke check on Brink, and Jackson Blake slid one around Ersson's pad to score and secure the second point in a 4-3 win to open the weekend.
The Canes earned a big win after falling behind early
To their credit, the group got off to a good start in the first period, but they didn't get anything for it. Then, the Flyers made the Canes pay with a pair of goals over the final ten minutes. It forced the Canes into a hole, but there was plenty of time for them to climb out of it. They put together a phenomenal effort over the final two periods to earn at least a point.
The second line got it rolling again. Nikolaj Ehlers put the puck past Samuel Ersson to get it going. I'm convinced it was a moment, like on Tuesday against Columbus, where the team saw one go in and they felt confident they could get it going. Add another from Alexander Nikishin before the end of the period, and the Canes were in business.
What a difference a year makes in the shootout
Do you remember the times when we dreaded the Hurricanes going to the shootout? Every time they finished 65 minutes tied, it felt like an automatic loss. Those days might be behind us, or, at least, it has been the case through 31 games now. After zero shootout wins last season, the Canes already have three this season, including a pair in back-to-back games.
The first thing I point to is the goaltending. All three goalies have played in the shootout this season, and they've each earned a win, with Frederik Andersen suffering the only defeat. The Canes have only allowed one goal in four shootouts. It also helps when you have a reliable scorer like Seth Jarvis you can send out, though he didn't score tonight since he'd already used his move during regulation.
Additional Thoughts
Shayne Gostisbehere had another great night, adding two more assists to his ledger. He's up to 21 assists and 24 points this season, both of which put him in the Top 10 among defensemen despite time missed. Joel Nystrom also got on the scoresheet for the second time in three games, celebrating his new extension by setting up Nikishin's goal.
Speaking of Nikishin, the Canes' broadcast pointed out that the defensive group had been shortened late in the game. The rookie didn't take a shift after the Flyers' goal to tie the game in the third. Nikishin pinched without forward support, leaving Nystrom to defend a 2-on-1. While you'd like a stop from your goalie, it was a good teaching moment.
Tonight marked the first time since November 17 that a goalie other than Brandon Bussi won a game for Carolina. Pyotr Kochetkov beat Boston that night. He had a solid game in Philadelphia. His final numbers don't tell the full story, but he made a few massive stops with the Canes down 2-0 early in the second period to keep them in it. Not to mention his perfect showing in the shootout.
Up Next: These two teams will be right back at it on Sunday night, flying back to Raleigh to complete the home-and-home. Both meetings thus far have gone to extra time, so the Hurricanes will try and finish it in regulation to close the weekend. Next week, they'll play three more on the road, visiting Nashville, Sunrise, and Tampa in the final full week before Christmas.