With their week-long road trip underway, the Carolina Hurricanes got off to an excellent start in Boston on Monday night. The Canes' Bottom 6 led the charge, scoring all three goals in a 3-1 victory over the Bruins. Taylor Hall recorded a goal and an assist, Joel Nystrom earned his first multi-point game, and Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 29 shots before losing his shutout with 9.6 seconds left.
Since dropping three of four games in late October, the Canes have been rolling, going 6-1-1 over their last eight contests. They're quietly off to a great start on the road, tying the second-most road wins through ten games in franchise history with their seventh against Boston (7-3-0). Their seven wins trail only the Rangers and Kings, who have nine each, while their .700 points percentage is fifth.
On the Other Side: Minnesota Wild
Last meeting: The Canes hosted the Wild on November 6th. After the Wild scored first and Jordan Staal dropped the gloves, the teams traded three goals in 52 seconds during a 4-on-4. Add another late goal from Sean Walker, and the Canes led 3-2 after 20. Matt Boldy and Nikolaj Ehlers scored nine seconds apart in the opening minute of the second, where the score stood at 4-3 for the remainder.
Like the Hurricanes, the Wild have found their winning touch since losing in Raleigh two weeks ago. They've won four of their last five, and tonight marks the final game of a five-game homestand, during which they're 3-0-1. Their only blemish was a 2-1 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks last Tuesday night, their second such loss of the season to the Sharks.
Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy still lead the charge offensively, with Boldy entering the night on a four-game point streak. Their power play remains very lethal, converting over a quarter of the time. They still have their defensive struggles, and injuries are starting to become a concern. Marco Rossi, Ryan Hartman, and Vladimir Tarasenko are all dealing with ailments.
Jesper Wallstedt might be the backup, but he has been unbeatable over his last two starts. Wallstedt hasn't allowed a goal in 141:09, posting back-to-back shutouts against Calgary and Anaheim. He's the only netminder this season with multiple perfect sheets. He's 3-0-0 in November with a .978 save percentage, and he's yet to lose in regulation this season (4-0-2). He'll be in the net on Wednesday.
Wild to Watch
Marcus Johansson: While Kaprizov and Boldy will get all of the attention, Johansson is scorching hot right now. He has found the scoresheet in 11 of their last 12 games, with 13 points during that time, losing a nine-game point streak last Tuesday. He picked up an assist against the Canes on November 6th. With Minnesota's current injury situation, Johansson should be in a position to thrive.
Brock Faber: After scoring a goal in Raleigh, Faber followed it up by scoring another goal in their next contest against the Islanders. He hasn't found the scoresheet in the four games since, though he's playing over 26 minutes per night over his last four games. I expect more of the same from him tonight, especially after playing 26:17 in their first meeting.
Hurricanes to Watch
Taylor Hall: No one on the roster is feeling it more than Hall right now. He has points in three straight and in five of his last six, coming off his first multi-point effort since Opening Night. The fourth line has scored three times in the last two games, with Hall picking up points on all three, including his all-world effort to score against Boston on Monday night.
Seth Jarvis: On the other side of the spectrum, it feels like Jarvis might be fighting it a little. That felt especially true in Boston. He had two breakaway chances against Swayman, throwing one right into the glove and the other off the post. Jarvis hasn't potted a goal since the win in Toronto and has just one assist in his last four games. He's due for a goal in any game now.