The Carolina Hurricanes might be cooking. After dropping three straight around New Year's, the Canes have won back-to-back games, including Tuesday night's battle against the Dallas Stars. The team jumped out to a 5-1 lead after 40 minutes and finished the night with a 6-3 victory. Brandon Bussi earned his 15th win in 18 starts.
The secondary scoring has picked it up in the recent wins, but the newly formed top line has been killer in 2026. The trio of Sebastian Aho (3G, 5A), Andrei Svechnikov (2G, 6A), and Nikolaj Ehlers (3G, 5A) has combined for 24 points in four games, including eight points, all assists, in Tuesday's victory. They might've found their legitimate top-scoring line.
On the Other Side: Anaheim Ducks
Last meeting: Orange County was the second stop of the Canes' six-game road trip in October. It was a contest largely controlled by the visitors. Seth Jarvis scored twice and set up Sebastian Aho in the third period, Alexander Nikishin scored his first NHL goal, and Frederik Andersen made 23 stops to help the Canes secure a 4-1 victory.
Entering play on December 11, the Ducks were 19-10-1 and sat atop the Pacific Division by two points. They were playing well, anchored by a high-powered offense that was giving opposing defenses fits. They'd gone on a seven-game win streak in late October and into early November. Things were looking bright for this team.
On that Thursday night in December, the Ducks lost 5-2 to the New York Islanders, beginning a tumultuous stretch for the upstart club. Over their last 13 games, the Ducks are just 2-9-2 and have fallen out of a playoff spot for the time being. The big reason is their defense. The Ducks have allowed 60 goals in 13 games, including 35 during their ongoing seven-game losing streak.
Still, the Ducks aren't a team to take lightly, especially in Raleigh. I'm not sure why they play so well in Raleigh, but they do. All-time, the Ducks are 12-5-1-1 as the visitors against the Canes, including 8-2-0 in their last ten. They famously spoiled Eric Staal's jersey retirement last season, beating the Canes, 3-2, in overtime.
Ducks to Watch
Leo Carlsson: This is still a team that can score goals at an alarming rate, and Carlsson is at the forefront of making it happen. The Swedish Olympian is having a true breakout campaign, almost reaching his point total from last season at the halfway point. He's tied with Troy Terry for the team lead in points (42), but he hasn't found the scoresheet in six games.
Cutter Gauthier: Tuesday was his yearly visit to Philadelphia, where the boos rained down. Gauthier scored a goal in the 5-2 loss, reaching 20 goals for the second straight season. In half the time, he has already tied his mark from a season ago. Gauthier had a big performance last season in Raleigh, scoring twice, including the game-winner in overtime.
Hurricanes to Watch
Seth Jarvis: His return to the lineup on Tuesday was a bit of a shock to me, but Jarvis didn't look like he missed a step after his eight-game absence. He recorded an early assist before picking up his 20th goal of the season, both coming on the power play. With his two-point night, Jarvis joined the group of five Hurricanes over the 30-point mark.
Jalen Chatfield: Once again, we undervalue just how important Chatfield is to the team's lineup. Points have been few and far between for him this season, though he picked up a secondary assist on Stankoven's goal on Tuesday. He has just eight assists in 36 games, but he was especially good on the defensive side against Dallas.