The road trip came to an end on Saturday night, as the Carolina Hurricanes sought an Alberta sweep against the Calgary Flames. The Canes entered the night with wins in two of the previous three stops, including an excellent effort last night in Edmonton. Jackson Blake scored twice, and K'Andre Miller added three assists in a 6-3 triumph over Connor McDavid and the Oilers.
After exiting Friday's game with a lower-body injury, Shayne Gostisbehere wasn't available to play, bringing Mike Reilly into the lineup for the first time in almost two months. Brandon Bussi was in the net for the second time on the trip after picking up the win in Vancouver. He was opposed by Dustin Wolf for Calgary, who played their first game after some big trades during Friday's deadline.
The Hurricanes wasted little time playing from in front. The top line got it rolling 44 seconds into the game. Sebastian Aho won the puck along the boards. Andrei Svechnikov made the pass. Seth Jarvis found the corner, scoring his 27th goal of the season. It was the only offense we got during the opening frame, with neither side looking sharp on the power play, as the Canes led 1-0 after 20.
It all fell apart in the second. Ryan Strome took advantage of a misplay by Bussi to score 19 seconds into the frame. Then, Joel Farabee was on the spot to put home a rebound, giving Calgary the lead just over four minutes in. To round it out, Morgan Frost capitalized on a blocked shot, scoring on the power play to make it 3-1. The Canes generated next to nothing and trailed by two after two.
Another mistake cost them early in the third. Bussi played the puck to Farabee, and while he was stopped, Blake Coleman cleaned up the trash. The Canes found a spark when Sean Walker scored soon after. Then, Alexander Nikishin uncorked a bomb on the power play. However, Farabee scored on a breakaway late. Svechnikov added one with 11.9 left, but it was too late, as the Canes fell, 5-4.
Bussi's puck handling issues have worsened since the break
If you eliminate the two goals that Brandon Bussi gave to the Flames early in the second and third periods, the Canes probably win this game. Unfortunately, that's not how this works. Bussi's puck handling has long been a topic of discussion, and it was genuinely abysmal tonight. His first mistake allowed the Flames to get rolling. The second one was the nail in the coffin.
I tried to avoid mentioning his chance at history like the plague, but it was all for naught. A win tonight would've made him the first goalie in organizational history to win 10 straight games. It's the second time he's had the chance to do it, and it's now the second time he's failed to achieve it. This is three un-Bussi-like starts in a row. Fortunately, or unfortunately, it's the first that has ended in a loss.
The top line put forth a great effort tonight
When the Aho line scored in the first minute of the game, it felt like they were in for a big night. It was a bit unconventional, but the trio of Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Andrei Svechnikov was very productive. Along with all three contributing to the opening goal, Aho and Jarvis had two helpers in the third period, while Svechnikov scored the late goal to pull the team within one.
The trio didn't finish the game together, with Rod Brind'Amour putting his lines in a blender for the third period. Still, Aho and Jarvis managed to connect on the power-play goal. The only other forward with a point tonight was Taylor Hall, who set up Sean Walker's goal. It certainly wasn't for a lack of chances, especially during the final 20 minutes.
Additional Thoughts
The defense creating offense was a big part of the comeback effort tonight in the third. Sean Walker scored his second goal in three games and extended his point streak to five, setting a personal best for him. Alexander Nikishin's goal put him in a tie with Justin Faulk for the most goals by a rookie defenseman in franchise history. K'Andre Miller also added an assist, his fourth in two games.
With tonight's loss, the Hurricanes complete their trip at 2-2-0, which really isn't that bad. They lost a pair of one-goal games, though tonight didn't feel like it, and they scored 16 goals during their three games in Canada. The lead in the division took a small hit, shrinking to nine with the Islanders' win over San Jose, but that's still a sizeable lead for now. They just need to get Bussi rolling again.
Up Next: The Carolina Hurricanes return to the Lenovo Center on Tuesday night for their first of three meetings with the Pittsburgh Penguins over the next two weeks. It might give us a chance to see the newest member of the roster, Nicolas Deslauriers, for the first time. The Canes play another at home against the Blues on Thursday before a trip to Tampa Bay next Saturday night.