By Rockin’ Reese
So far, the second half of the 2023-24 NHL regular season has produced mixed results for the Carolina Hurricanes. Just 4 games after the all-star break, they have a 2-2 record, as they prepare to spend a winter weekend in the desert. Let’s breakdown their results, so far.
On February 6th, they were home at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. They hosted the Vancouver Canucks, who earned a 4-3 victory against them on December 9th at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Despite the Canucks being on a power play, the Hurricanes scored first in the game, as (left winger/alternate captain) Jordan Martinook scored a short-handed goal against (Canucks goalie) Thatcher Demko. Unfortunately, the Hurricanes wouldn’t be so lucky, later in the first period. This time, (Canucks center) Elias Lindholm (who was acquired from the Calgary Flames) scored a power play goal against (Hurricanes goalie) Pyotr Kochetkov. The period ended with a tied score, 1-1.
Late in the second period, Lindholm would score another power play goal to give the Canucks a lead. It would be short-lived, as the Hurricanes tied the game on a power play goal from (center/alternate captain) Sebastian Aho. The period ended with a 2-2 tie.
Just 4 minutes into the third period, (Canucks center & right winger/alternate captain) JT Miller scored the only even strength goal of the game, as the Canucks defeated the Hurricanes, 3-2, for a season sweep.
On Feb. 8th, the Hurricanes hosted the Colorado Avalanche, who earned a 6-4 victory against them on October 21st at Ball Arena in Denver, CO. Things would be different, on this night. In the first 16:51 of the game, (Hurricanes center) Martin Nečas scored a hat trick against (Avalanche goalie) Alexandar Georgiev. However, things were dicey in the last 30 seconds of the first period. In a span of 5 seconds, the Avalanche had goals from (left winger) Zach Parise & (defenseman) Sam Girard against Kochetkov, but the Hurricanes ended the period with a 3-2 lead.
In the second period, the Hurricanes got the only goal, as (left winger) Michael Bunting scored on a power play. With less than 1 minute remaining in the third period, the Hurricanes were awarded a goal, after (center) Seth Jarvis was slashed, while he was trying to score an empty net goal. The Hurricanes defeated the Avalanche, 5-2.
On Feb. 10th, the Hurricanes hosted the New Jersey Devils for the 2nd time, this season. On January 25th, the Hurricanes defeated the Devils, 3-2. This night was a throwback for the Hurricanes, as they skated in Hartford Whalers jerseys. (The Hurricanes were the Whalers from 1979-80 to 1996-97, before moving to North Carolina in 1997-98.) After Kochetkov & (Devils goalie) Vítek Vaněček caused a scoreless tie in regulation, Aho scored an overtime goal to earn a win for the Hurricanes.
On Tuesday night, they played the Dallas Stars for the first of 2 meetings. The crowd erupted at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, as (Stars center/left winger) Roope Hintz scored the only goal of the first period. In the second period, it only took 13 seconds for the Hurricanes to tie the game, as (center/captain) Jordan Staal scored a goal against (Stars goalie) Jake Oettinger. The Stars would quickly regain the lead with a goal from (left winger) Mason Marchment. Late in the period, the Hurricanes tied the game again, thanks to a goal from (right winger) Jesper Fast.
In the third period, the Stars would score twice. In the early part of the period, there was a goal from (left winger) Jason Robertson. With 2:25 remaining in regulation, (center) Matt Duchene scored an empty net goal. The Stars defeated the Hurricanes, 4-2.
