Carolina Hurricanes Report
With about a month to go in the regular season, the Carolina Hurricanes look to be in good shape to earn a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the 6th season in a row. As we’re halfway through March, let’s take a look at some of their most recent performances.
On March 2nd, the Hurricanes hosted the Winnipeg Jets at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. Back on December 4th, the Jets earned a 2-1 victory over the Hurricanes at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. After a scoreless first period, the Hurricanes lit up (Jets goalie) Connor Hellebuyck in the second period.
They got goals from (center) Martin Nečas, (left winger) Teuvo Teravainen, & (center/alternate captain) Sebastian Aho (Aho’s goal was on a power play) and it seemed like they were going to avenge that loss.
Unfortunately, the Jets went on a tear in the third period & lit up (Hurricanes goalie) Pyotr Kochetkov. They got goals from (left winger) Kyle Connor, (right winger) Nino Niederreiter, (center/alternate captain) Mark Scheifele (his goal was on a power play), & (cemter) Sean Monahan. Neiderreiter scored an empty-net goal to give the Jets a 5-3 victory and a season sweep over the Hurricanes.
On March 7th, the Hurricanes hosted the Montréal Canadiens. Back on Dec. 28th, the Hurricanes earned a 5-3 victory over the Canadiens in Raleigh. They were hoping the return of (goalie) Frederik Andersen (who was dealing with blood clots, since November) would inspire a victory. Things got off to a bad start, as the Canadiens scored an early goal, thanks to (right winger) Joshua Roy. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, it was all downhill from there, as the rest of the game was all Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes tied the game, later in the period, as (defenseman) Brady Skjei scored a goal against (Canadiens goalie) Sam Montembeault. With 25 seconds remaining in the second period, (right winger) Stefan Noesen scored a goal. In the third period, Skjei scored his 2nd goal of the game & (right winger) Andrei Svechnikov scored an empty-net goal. The Hurricanes defeated the Canadiens, 4-1, with the crowd cheering Andersen.
On March 9th, the Hurricanes visited the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Back on February 10th, the Hurricanes earned a 1-0 overtime victory against the Devils in Raleigh. The Devils were trying to avoid a season sweep, but Nečas had other plans, as he scored a power play goal against (Devils goalie) Nico Daws in the first period. In the second period, the Devils tied the game, as (center/captain) Nico Hischier scored a goal against Kochetkov.
The third period saw the Hurricanes score twice, as (center) Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored early, then Svechnikov scored an empty-net goal late. Things got dramatic, as (Devils left winger) Timo Meier scored a goal with less than 12 seconds remaining in regulation. However, Teravainen would score another empty-net goal with 8 seconds left, as the Hurricanes earned a 4-2 victory & swept the Devils.
On March 10th, the Hurricanes were back in Raleigh to play the Calgary Flames. Back on Dec. 7th, the Flames burned the Hurricanes, 3-2, at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. However, the Hurricanes were firefighters in this rematch, as (left winger/alternate captain) Jordan Martinook & Aho scored goals in the first period against (Flames goalie) Dan Vladař. They continued in the second period, as (defenseman) Jalen Chatfield & Svechnikov scored goals.
The Flames finally scored, as (left winger) Dryden Hunt scored against Andersen. The Hurricanes scored 2 more second period goals, thanks to (defenseman) Brent Burns & (center) Seth Jarvis. In the third period, the Flames got a goal from (center/left winger) Yegor Sharangovich. Teravainen would respond with a late goal, as the Hurricanes extignuished the Flames for a 7-2 win.
On Tuesday, the Hurricanes hosted the New York Rangers. Back on Jan. 2nd, the Hurricanes went to Madison Square Garden in New York, NY & defeated the Rangers, 6-1. In this final regular season meeting between these 2 teams, it was a goalie battle, as Kochetkov & (Rangers goalie) Igor Shesterkin put on a clinic. However, the lone goal of the game would belong to the Rangers. With 8 seconds remaining in the first period, (defenseman/alternate captain) Adam Fox deflected a shot off of Skjei’s skate & past Kochetkov.
On Thursday, the Hurricanes hosted the Florida Panthers. Back on Feb. 22nd, the Hurricanes earned a 1-0 victory in Raleigh over the Panthers. In this final regular season meeting between these teams, the Hurricanes weren’t waiting for the end of regulation to start scoring some goals. Late in the first period, Jarvis scored a goal against (Panthers goalie) Sergei Bobrovsky. In the second period, Nečas & (center) Evgeny Kuznetsov (for the first time as a Hurricane) scored goals. In the third period, Bobrovsky was pulled with 5 remaining in the game. A few seconds later, Svechnikov would score an empty-net goal. Andersen earned a shutout, as the Hurricanes defeated the Panthers, 4-0.