The Carolina Hurricanes are back at home after completing their week-long trip on Sunday in Buffalo. The team put forth its worst effort of the campaign, falling 4-1 to the Sabres. After getting lucky and scoring in the first period, courtesy of Shayne Gostisbehere on the power play, the Canes couldn't get it together the rest of the way, finishing the four-game trip at 2-1-1.
With the trip behind them, the Canes can enjoy a little more time at home. Tonight begins a seven-game homestand, carrying them into early December. Like last season, they're welcoming the New York Rangers to town right before Thanksgiving. They'll have to do it as the flu is reportedly swirling throughout the locker room, and old injuries are returning to bite the team.
On the Other Side: New York Rangers
Last meeting: The Hurricanes visited Madison Square Garden three weeks ago, with Pyotr Kochetkov making his season debut. Nikolaj Ehlers opened the scoring in the first period, ringing a shot off the post and in on the power play. Late in the second, Sean Walker added to the lead, and Seth Jarvis added the dagger into the empty net. Kochetkov made 25 stops in a 3-0 Carolina victory.
The Rangers were a .500 team when they hosted the Hurricanes earlier in the month. Three weeks later, they're still a .500 team. It looked for a minute that they were turning things around, winning four of their next five games. Ironically, the one loss during that stretch was another shutout loss on home ice, giving them five shutout losses in seven home games.
After their hot streak, they lost four straight, putting them back where they started. While they're currently at the bottom of the division, they're still very much in the fight, and they'll continue to be as long as Igor Shesterkin keeps playing at a Vezina level. His 8-8-2 record doesn't tell the entire story. He holds a 2.50 GAA, and Jonathan Quick, while currently injured, has been good, too.
For all of their firepower, the Rangers remain one of the bottom teams in the league offensively. They've scored the fifth-fewest goals, and they're 30th in goals per game. No one on the team has more than seven goals (Mika Zibanejad). Injuries haven't helped matters. They've played their last two games without captain JT Miller, whose availability will be something to watch.
Rangers to Watch
Artemi Panarin: When they last met, Panarin was struggling through the worst pointless streak of his career. He immediately broke out of it during New York's next game, and he has been on a roll since. Panarin has 13 points over the Rangers' last 10 games, setting him one point behind Adam Fox for the team lead. It's also worth mentioning that he loves playing the Hurricanes.
Vincent Trocheck: Dealing with an injury when the Canes visited New York, getting Trocheck back into the lineup was a big deal. After missing 14 games, the former Hurricane has seven points in eight games, including back-to-back multi-point efforts immediately after his return. He's a great guy in the dot, and his importance will be magnified if Miller isn't good to go.
Hurricanes to Watch
Shayne Gostisbehere: If he hadn't gotten hurt, I'm convinced that Gostisbehere would be in the conversation for the Norris Trophy. He's operating at over a point per game, including seven points in seven games since returning. Gostisbehere scored his first goal in over a month on Sunday and has been rolling all season.
Justin Robidas: With Jordan Staal's availability uncertain, the team called up Robidas on Tuesday to bring another center into the fold. The former 5th-rounder held his own during his brief stint with the team last season, recording an assist in his debut and his first goal in the next game against Boston. Even if he doesn't play, it's a call-up well deserved.