A red-hot start fizzles out in the 3rd period as the Canes squander one to the Cats

Wednesday night was all about giving back to the community as the Carolina Hurricanes welcomed the Florida Panthers for their second preseason game. The Canes suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday to get the preseason started, getting a late Logan Stankoven goal on the power play to avoid the shutout.

For the Community Benefit Game, the Canes sent a veteran group out in this rematch of the Eastern Conference Finals. Instead of giving us a true rematch, the Panthers opted for another young group, though there were a few veterans sprinkled throughout. Frederik Andersen and Daniil Tarasov were in the crease for their respective teams.

It was evident from the jump that this game would be all Carolina, all the time. We experienced one of the weirdest sequences I've ever witnessed just about midway through the opening period. Almost simultaneously, Ryan Suzuki deflected Mike Reilly's shot past Tarasov as Givani Smith dropped the gloves with Ben Harpur. The goal counted, Smith won via takedown, and the Canes led 1-0.

Before the end of the period, an excellent forechecking shift from the Kotkaniemi line ended with the center finding the back of the net. Eric Robinson and Andrei Svechnikov did an excellent job below the goal line before the latter found Kotkaniemi in front of the net for the goal. The Canes were in complete control, leading 2-0 after 20 minutes.

If not for Tarasov standing on his head during the second period, the Canes could've blown the doors off the barn with the number of chances they earned. The top line was especially dangerous, but the Florida backup wasn't budging. The score stood still at 2-0, though it wasn't for a lack of trying.

As was likely planned, Andersen was done after two periods, making way for Amir Miftakhov to take over. To say it went poorly would be an understatement. The Panthers scored three times on the Russian netminder, including twice in 1:16 to take the lead. Both goals he allowed in that short stretch were absolutely on him. Florida added an empty-netter for good measure, stealing one with a 4-2 win.

This top line is going to be something special

Their performance tonight probably takes a slight turn after the way the game ended, but there was so much to love about the trio of Nikolaj Ehlers, Sebastian Aho, and Seth Jarvis in this game. Their chances were almost never-ending. It felt like they'd been playing together for years with the way the puck was magically moving between the three of them.

Jarvis led everyone in the game with seven shots, while Ehlers was close behind with four. Aho played more of the facilitator role for his two wingers. They also got a ton of work on the power play, showcasing excellent puck movement without the benefit of a goal. Maybe if a chance or two had beaten Tarasov, we'd be singing a better tune about their night.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi played like a center about to lose his spot

While the Canes' top line looked good, the best line on the ice for either team was the Canes' second group, anchored by Jesperi Kotkaniemi. With Logan Stankoven making the move to center during training camp, a lot of eyes have turned to Kotkaniemi to see how he'll respond. He was phenomenal in this contest. He scored a goal, finished with four shots, and won more than half of his draws.

It was also an excellent night for Andrei Svechnikov and Bradly Nadeau, who exhibited uncanny chemistry for a pair that hasn't played together much. Nadeau was much better than he was on Monday, while Svechnikov provided the helper on his center's goal. The Canes have a lot of tough decisions to make before Opening Night, but this one makes you think a little bit harder.

Additional Thoughts

Ivan Ryabkin was a player I had my eye on during my preview as he played his first NHL-caliber game. He certainly didn't disappoint. Ryabkin showcased so many great things about his game, from his world-class shot to his willingness to be physical. He led every skater with six hits in the contest and added four shots in just under 13 minutes.

I spoke of tough decisions with Nadeau. Givani Smith and Kevin Labanc are showing out during their PTOs. Smith has dropped the gloves twice, but he also had a few prime scoring chances early in the game. Labanc has a pair of assists in two games, earning the secondary helper on Suzuki's opening tally.

The real story of this game was Florida's Daniil Tarasov, who was simply magnificent between the pipes for the Panthers. He single-handedly stole this game, making 47 stops while under fire the entire night. We joke about the Hurricanes being in midseason form, but this drew comparisons to the dark days. I know it's only the preseason, but this wasn't a great finish for the Canes.

Up Next: The Carolina Hurricanes are hitting the road for the first time this preseason, visiting the Tampa Bay Lightning for their second, and final, meeting before things count for real. The Canes have three more preseason games on the other side of it, meeting the Panthers once more and the Nashville Predators twice next week.