Canes Corner

The trade deadline came and went without Carolina making the big splash so many wanted to see.  Then the Canes went out and drowned the Oilers with their defense.  Jaccob Slavin gave Connor McDavid 4 Nations Faceoff flashbacks, putting in a 25 1/2 minute masterclass of a defensive shift on the greatest player in the world.  McDavid had an assist on the opening goal, but he was very much held in check.  Slavin, paired with Jalen Chatfield handled him most of the time.  K'Andre Miller and Sean Walker were also great against him.  We'll talk about Nikolaj Ehlers and the fit with the Captains and dig into the trade deadline.   Canes Corner is presented by the Aluminum company of North Carolina aluminumcompany.com 

Nikolaj Ehlers registered his second hat trick of the season, while Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho each had a goal and an assist, as the Hurricanes beat the Canucks, 6-4.  Aho's 2nd period goal gave him 60 points on the season, making him just the 8th Finnish-born player in NHL history to have amassed 8 60-point seasons.  Jari Kurri, Teemu Selanne and Mikko Rantanen are the other 3.  Brandon Bussi allowed 4 goals on 22 shots, but he keeps winning.  The Bus has 25 wins in his first 29 starts and is on an 8-game winning streak.  However, he has a .829 SV% in his last 6 starts -- which all happen to be victories.

The Hurricanes saw their 5-game winning streak come to an end as they fell to the Seattle Kraken, 2-1.  The Kraken scored both of their goals in the 1st half of the second period as a couple of breakdowns led to grade A scoring chances.  Nikolaj Ehlers got the Canes on the board late in the 2nd period, pouncing on a loose puck and ringing the bell for the 16th time this season to make it a 1-goal game heading into the 3rd.  But, Carolina just couldn't generate enough from their 36 shots on goal and 83 (!!!) total shot attempts and the game fizzled out at the end.  Frederik Andersen started his second consecutive game for the first time since before Thanksgiving, but wasn't able to stack back-to-back strong performances in losing.  It snaps his personal 6-game point streak.

The Carolina Hurricanes took down the Detroit Red Wings, 5-2, as Taylor Hall and Shayne Gostisbehere each had a goal and two assists and Frederik Andersen made 27 saves.  It was the 5th straight win for the Canes -- which ties a season high.  Carolina is also on a 12-game point streak (10-0-2) and, as a result, moved ahead of Tampa Bay into the top spot in the East with 82 points.  Andersen is 3-0-3 in his last 6 starts, Jackson Blake added a goal and an assist and Sebastian Aho's power play goal gave him 5 goals in his last 6 games.

The Hurricanes got off to a flying start, lost a 3-goal lead, but buttoned up the 3rd period in a 5-4 win over the Lightning.  It starts the final 25 game stretch on a great note for Carolina, who maintains their 8-point lead over Pittsburgh in the Metropolitan Division.  The Logan Stankoven line was on fire in the first period, scoring twice and tying the Lightning in knots.  But, Carolina was a bit of a defensive mess -- and if we're being honest, a bit fortunate to not be trailing in the game -- and it wasn't until Sebastian Aho's 3rd period power play goal that they assumed control over the game.  Jaccob Slavin and K'Andre Miller were stellar in the 3rd period and Brandon Bussi saved his best for the 3rd as the Canes pull even with the Bolts on 80 points for the East's top seed.  It was Bussi's 24th win of the season.

The Canes and goaltender Brandon Bussi agree on a 3-year contract extension.  We discuss that, the roster work still to do before the trade deadline and the incredible Olympic hockey quarterfinals.  Oh, and I also spent about 15 minutes on the phone with The Bus himself.  Enjoy!

Brandon Bussi made 16 saves, Andrei Svechnikov and Jordan Staal scored goals and the Canes extended their points streak to 10 straight in a 2-0 win at Madison Square Garden.  Andrei scored at 6:26 of the first period coming right off the bench to corral a loose puck at the blue line and beat Jonathan Quick for his 21st goal of the season.  Svech has 9 goals in his last 10 games.  Staal's 15th of the season, into an empty net, was his 5th in the last 7 games.  Nikolaj Ehlers' great defensive play to take the puck away from Vincent Trocheck created the chance and the Canes head into the Olympic Break with an 8 point lead over the Penguins in the Metropolitan Division.

Jordan Staal's game-winning goal, with just more than 5 minutes to play helped the Canes to a 4-3 win over Ottawa as they extend their points streak to 9 straight games (7-0-2).  Staal's 14th of the season was the 8th time that Staal has given Carolina the lead with a goal.  Seth Jarvis scored twice, Sebastian Aho added a goal and 2 assists, and Brandon Bussi won for the 22nd time in 26 NHL starts.  It was another game in which the Hurricanes weren't necessarily the better team, though Carolina definitely played well and with a lot of energy.  The Canes have just one more game -- Thursday at Madison Square Garden -- before the Olympic break.

Sebastian Aho's overtime goal, 1:25 into the 3-on-3 session, gave the Canes a 3-2 win over the Kings, extending their points streak to 8 straight games (6-0-2).  One night after leading 3-0 only to lose in overtime, Carolina led 2-0 with just over 7 minutes to play.  But, the Kings capitalized on a Hurricanes mistake 24 seconds later to cut the lead in half and drew even with 3:11 to play and we were headed beyond regulation for the 2nd straight night -- and the 3rd time in the last 5 games.  This time, however, Sebastian Aho did what he seemingly always does, he won the game, beating Anton Forsberg just inside the left post for his 19th goal of the season.  Brandon Bussi made 11 saves for his 21st win in 25 starts.  Jordan Staal and Alexander Nikishin also scored for the Canes who are 10-1-3 in their last 14 games.

How should the headline read?  The Canes blow a 3-0 lead and lose, 4-3, in overtime?  Or, the Canes stole a point in their OT loss in Washington?  Because both of those things are essentially true.  According to head coach Rod Brind'Amour his team was as bad as he can recall in a 60-minute game.  And, statistically speaking, he was not wrong.  Carolina was dominated in every area of the game -- other than goaltending -- in the loss.  Only Frederik Andersen, who made 38 saves on the night, drew praise from the head coach.  Andersen stopped 19 shots in the 1st period and another 19 the rest of the way as his team spent far too much time defending on the night.  Mark Jankowski, Sebastian Aho and Shayne Gostisbehere each scored in the loss.  

Brandon Bussi made 34 saves to win his 19th game of the season as the Hurricanes beat the Senators, 4-1.  Bussi's victory helps to continue a record breaking start to his career.  No NHL goalie has ever won 19 of his first 23 starts.  In Bussi's 23 starts he's allowed 4 or more goals just twice and 8 times -- including the last three -- he's allowed 1 or fewer goals.  Carolina wasn't very good in the win, but they managed to score 3 times in the first period as William Carrier, Seth Jarvis and Taylor Hall staked the Canes to the big lead.  Andrei Svechnikov's 18th of the season, on the power play, made it 4-0 early in the 2nd period.  

The Canes lost to the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-3, in a shootout on a night when the power play -- which had been excellent of late -- went 0 for 5 and conceded a shorthanded goal.  Joel Nystrom scored his first NHL goal and was joined on the scoresheet by Jordan Staal and Jackson Blake in the loss.  One thing Carolina did well on Thursday was bounce back.  They never led in the game, but each time Chicago scored the Canes seemed to get the game back even quickly.  Alexander Nikishin took part in his first NHL fight as Chicago's Oliver Moore challenged him after a clean hit on Rick Lardis in the second period.  Nikishin didn't appear interested in fighting, but ended the bout quickly as Moore was knocked to the ice in 3 punches.  Moore would have the last say, however, as it was his shootout conversion ended the game in the 6th round and gave Chicago the bonus point.

Brandon Bussi only had to make 17 saves.  But, you ask Buffalo's Tage Thompson if Carolina's goalie played well.  Thompson, a 25 goal scorer already this year, easily could have had a hat trick against the Canes were it not for Bussi.  One save was so amazing, the game broadcasters -- both local and national -- assumed that a goal had been scored.  It was THAT good.  Andrei Svechnikov scored for the 3rd straight game and Seth Jarvis' power play goal, 2 minutes into the 3rd period, was the game winner.  

What a 27 hours for the Canes!  One night after they tarred and feathered the Florida Panthers, 9-1, Carolina rode the goaltending of Frederik Andersen and an Andrei Svechnikov hat trick for a 4-1 win in Newark.  Andersen made 28 saves, with most of the toughest ones coming early as the Hurricanes struggled to get into the game after the emotions of Friday night's blowout.  But, Andersen kept them level and then Svechnikov scored twice in 58 seconds late in the 2nd to stake Carolina to the lead.  Timo Meier's power play goal cut the lead in half, but Jackson Blake's 15th of the year restored the 2-goal lead and Svechnikov completed the hat trick for the final margin.  

Nine goals.  Nine goals.  The Carolina Hurricanes hung 9 goals around Sergei Bobrovsky and the Florida Panthers.  Nikolaj Ehlers, who now has 11 goals in 18 career games against Florida, picked up his first hat trick with the Hurricanes (6th of his career), as Carolina scored 6 times in the 3rd period in the 9-1 win.  While nothing really can erase the sting of blowing a combined lead of 5-0 in the first two meetings between these two teams, Carolina extending the lead over and over and over again in the 3rd period will at least prove to themselves that they have put that part of their season behind them.  Taylor Hall scored twice, while Andrei Svechnikov, Eric Robinson, Mark Jankowski and Alexander Nikishin each added goals of their own.  Carolina now has an NHL-best 9 players with 10+ goals on the season.  Brandon Bussi made 15 saves for his 17th win of the year.  The Canes were 4 for 5 on the power play and a perfect 5 for 5 on the penalty kill.

The Hurricanes were shut out for the first time this season, 3-0, in St Louis.  Carolina's 5-game point streak came to an end on a night when they looked unwilling to play their game.  Brandon Bussi allowed 3 goals on 31 shots in the loss with all three coming in the 2nd period where the Blues skated circles around Carolina.  Before the game, St Louis was -- based on goal differential -- the worst 2nd period team in the NHL at -25.  They were +3 in the 2nd tonight.

Two ways to look at the Canes' 4-3 (OT) loss to the Red Wings.  Great, you rallied with 3 goals in the 3rd period to force overtime so you feel happy with the result.  Disappointed that you gave the puck away twice and they led to Detroit goals.  Angry, because two really awful -- and very easily-called -- penalties went uncalled with the second one resulting in the game-winner from Andrew Copp.

The Canes fell behind, 2-1, in the third period, but the Captain's line produced a pair of goals as Carolina rallied to beat Seattle, 3-2.  The win was the 4th straight for the Canes, who maintain a 4-point lead over the Islanders in the Metropolitan division.  Jaccob Slavin made his return to the lineup after missing the last 10 games.  In all, Slavin has played in just 6 of the Hurricanes' first 45 games.  Logan Stankoven's 1st period goal got the Hurricanes in front of the game.  The goal was his 10th of the season and 4th in as many games.  K'Andre Miller's steal inside the blue line started the play and then the brand new Hurricanes defender made a great pass to Stankoven in the slot.  Seattle's Matty Beniers would make a great move around Slavin for a first period tying goal.  Brandon Bussi turned the puck over leading to the Kraken's 3rd period goal that put them in front, 2-1.  But, Jordan Staal set up both 3rd period goals, the first from Jordan Martinook and the second was credited to Will Carrier as Slavin's shot hit Will on the way into the Seattle net.

Freddie Andersen made 11 saves in his first win since November 6 as the Hurricanes won their 3rd straight game, 5-2, over the Ducks.  Mark Jankowski scored in the 2nd period to tie the game at 1-1, but it was arguably the most important play of the entire night.  The Hurricanes were flat until jankowski's goal and then they took control of the game.  Logan Stankoven, Jalen Chatfield and Jackson Blake each scored and Taylor Hall -- who's patience created Stankoven's 3rd goal in as many games -- put one into the empty net for the final marker.  It wasn't pretty, but it was gritty and the Canes got what they deserved.

K'Andre Miller scored twice, Andrei Svechnikov and Nikolaj Ehlers combeind for 7 assists and Seth Jarvis made an energizing return to the lineup as the Canes blasted the Stars, 6-3.  Carolina celebrated Star Wars night in style.  Miller scored twice, the first time since opening night -- when he also bagged a brace -- that he found the back of the net.  Shayne Gostisbehere and Will Carrier also scored and Brandon Bussi won for the 15th time in 18 starts.