The Hurricanes dropped their second straight game -- first time all year that's happened -- in a 4-2 decision to the NY Rangers.  It was a game in which the Canes probably should have scored five times, but they only rang the bell twice.  Shayne Gostisbehere and Seth Jarvis tallied for Carolina, but despite out-chancing New York 15-3 over the last two periods, the Rangers scored three times and held the Canes at bay.  Frederik Andersen allowed 3 goals on 17 shots and lost for the 4th straight time.  Andersen has one win since October 23 and has allowed at least 3 goals in 11 of his 13 starts this season.  37 goalies have played in at least 10 games this season, and Freddie's .873 SV% is 33rd among them.  Carolina's power play scored for the 3rd straight game.

In the ongoing wings debate over Flats vs Drums, the Canes chose the former as they closed out the 4-game road trip with a 4-1 loss to Buffalo.  Jordan Staal was down with the flu, so the captain didn't play and his team missed his defense AND what he's meant to Carolina's offense.  Freddie Andersen played well, even though the stats might make it seem differently.  Andersen made several great saves and didn't allow a soft goal so maybe that's a sign that he's turning a rough season around.  Shayne Gostisbehere's 1st period power play goal was Carolina's only marker.  We'll also address the Andrei Svechnikov story from Elliott Friedman that has Andrei's representatives reportedly were open to a trade earlier in the season when Andrei was struggling and dropped lower in the lineup. 

The Canes beat the Jets 4-3 in Winnipeg behind 2 goals from Jordan Staal and a pair of big homecomings.  Staal scored 16 seconds into the game to give the Hurricanes the lead, then added his second 3:08 into the second period to get Carolina even at 2-2.  He now has 20 career goals (in 44 games) against the Jets.  The only team against which Staal had scored more is Philadelphia, but his 24 career goals came in 82 games.  Winnipeg native Seth Jarvis scored shorthanded for the second time this season and Nikolaj Ehlers -- who spent 10 seasons with the Jets -- set up Andrei Svechnikov's 3rd period power play goal that became the eventual game-winner.  Brandon Bussi got a surprise start in goal and stopped 24 shots in route to a 5th win in 6 starts for the Canes.

Jackson Blake scored twice, including the tying goal with 1:06 to play, but the Canes fall to the Wild, 4-3, in a shootout. Carolina dominated in almost every way except for in goal. Jesper Wallstedt was spectacular while Frederik Andersen couldn't come up with a big save when the Canes needed it. The Wild scored on a lucky bounce and two breakaways, so none of the goals were awful, but Andersen could have done better. Blake now has 6 goals and 15 points this season through 20 games. Sebastian Aho scored his 8th early in the 3rd to give Carolina hope. Andersen made 15 saves in the loss.  

Pyotr Kotchetkov made 29 saves, the Hurricanes got goals from Jordan Staal, Mark Jankowski and Taylor Hall, and opened up a 4-game Northern Exposure road swing with a 3-1 win over the Bruins. Carolina has a 6-1-1 record in their last 8 games and pulled even with the Devils atop the Metropolitan Division on 27 points. The Canes haven't gotten great goaltending lately, but Kotchetkov was steady tonight and it helped keep the Bruins off the scoreboard until there were less than 10 seconds left in the game. Strong games on the back end from Shayne Gostisbehere, K'Andre Miller and rookie Joel Nystrom stood out as well as Hall, who turned in one of the best performances of the season. 

Leon Draisaitl needed 19 seconds of overtime to give the Oilers a 4-3 win and cap off a 3 point night.  Connor McDavid had two goals and the Canes continued a run of untimely mistakes.  Frederik Andersen misplayed a puck early in the first period that gave Jack Roslovic his 6th goal of the year and staked Edmonton to a 1-0 lead.  Then McDavid's first of the night came while Andrei Svechnikov was in the penalty box for a foolish crosscheck on the Oilers' star.  After that, the Canes were great.  Goals from Eric Robinson, Nik Ehlers and Jordan Staal helped get a point, but they couldn't get two.  We also talk Canes goaltending and why it's okay to see Svech play a little dirty.

Carolina made a few mistakes, but in the end they dominated Vancouver and deserved to win the game. The top line looked the part and K'Andre Miller had a big bounce back game. Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist, Andrei Svechnikov scored two goals in less than a minute of the first period. Taylor Hall got the game even in the third. Carolina is now 3-0 in overtime and won the only shootout they've been in. 

It wasn't a good night for some of the Hurricanes' best players and it cost them in a 4-1 loss to the Capitals.  Nikolaj Ehlers scored Carolina's only goal.  The power play went 0 for 5 and a pair of give aways directly led to Washington goals as Carolina sees a 3-game win streak end.  

The Canes rallied to beat the Maple Leafs in Toronto, 5-4, claiming a game they were the better team by every measure.  Five different goal scorers led the way as Aho, Jarvis, Walker, Hall and Stankoven each found the net and K'Andre Miller and Stankoven each had two points.  Along the way, Carolina hit several posts and wasted too many break aways but they just kept coming and pounded the Leafs into submission, outshooting them 21-2 in the 3rd period.  In all it looked a return to Carolina Hurricanes hockey as the sport celebrated the Hall of Fame ceremonies that will take place tomorrow in Toronto.

In the first 21 minutes of Thursday night's game between the Canes and the Wild there were 45 minutes in penalties, 7 goals, 2 injuries and an ejection.  In the end the Canes hung on for 4-3 win over Minnesota.  Jackson Blake and Sean Walker each had a goal and an assist.  Andrei Svechnikov and Nikolaj Ehlers each scored and the Hurricanes celebrated their Captain's record breaking game as he becomes the all-time leader in games played for the Canes.  K'Andre Miller's return to the lineup was spectacular.  Sean Walker continues his strong season.  The only downer was the injury to Jalen Chatfield who took a high hit from Tyler Pitlick in the first period and didn't return.