Canes Corner

For the 4th time this year, Martin Necas scored a late third period goal to force overtime.  Saturday night in Philadelphia, Necas' goal with :00.3 seconds left tied the game at 4-4.  Then, Sebastian Aho ended it on the first shift of overtime with his 3rd goal of the game and his 30th of the season.  Necas and Aho also combined on the game's opening goal helping Carolina's goal leader snap a 7-game goal drought.  Carolina's miraculous win coupled with New Jersey's come-from-ahead loss at Florida means that the Canes have a 3-point lead in the Metropolitan Division with 14 games to play.

The Hurricanes made too many mistakes and the Maple Leafs took adavantage in a 5-2 loss in Toronto.  Pyotr Kochetkov yielded 5 goals on 24 shots in the loss.  Brady Skjei and Martin Necas scored goals for the Canes.  Carolina heads to Philadelphia for the middle game of the three game road trip Saturday afternoon at 5:00 still leading the Metro by 1 point over the Devils

Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored two goals -- a gorgeous, wrap-around marker in the 2nd period and then a 120 foot, empty netter with 4 seconds left -- as the Hurricanes beat the Winnipeg Jets, 5-3 at PNC Arena.  Carolina was in dire need of a win.  They'd lost two straight, saw their division lead evaporate after consecutive shutout losses.  AND, they were playing for the first time since learning that Andrei Svechnikov was done for the year with an ACL tear.  They needed a win in the worst way.  Jaccob Slavin and Brady Skjei got the offense going first, then Kotkaniemi and Jack Drury handled the rest.  Drury's goal was his first of the year and came a day after being recalled from the minors.  Expect him to geet regular playing time the rest of the way.  Canes are off until Friday when they play in Toronto.  That is the first of a 3-game road trip that will take them to Philadelphia and then Madison Square Garden to meet the Rangers.

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The Carolina Hurricanes were handing out goals like they were candy bars on halloween.  The Devils scored three times off Hurricanes mistakes and that was more than enough to beat the Canes who have now gone nearly three full games without a goal.  Carolina Hasn't scored since Andrei Svechnikov's 1st period power play goal  on Thursday against the Flyers.  That's a 177:51 second span without a goal.  Canes are off until Tuesday when they host the Winnipeg Jets.  Andrei Svechnikov missed the game with a lower body injury, but was on the trip so it might not be a long absence from the line up.

The Carolina Hurricanes couldn't solve Jonathan Quick and the Golden Knights in a 4-0 home ice loss.  Carolina conceded a goal early in the 1st period and then late in the 2nd to trail 2-0 after two periods.  the Golden Knights saw the game out from there.  Carolina had their 4-game winning streak snapped and head to New Jersey with a 2-point lead in the Metropolitan Division over the Devils.  Canes have taken 2 of the 3 games from Jersey this year so far, and will be trying to keep them in the rear view mirror over the final 4 weeks of the regular season.

The Hurricanes won their 4th in a row, 1-0, over the Flyers as Pyotr Kochetkov got the start after being recalled for the injured Antti Raanta.  Pyotr, made 19 saves iin the win.  Andrei Svechnikov scored the only goal the Hurricanes would need 2:09 into the first period as the Canes connected on their first power play of the night.  After that, Carolina had enough chances, but the Flyers blocked 22 shots and many of them looked like certain goals.  Carolina remains 4 points in front of the Devils in the Metropolitan Division race with 19 games left to play.  Carolina's 43rd win of the year is second only to Boston's 49.  The Canes will host Vegas on Saturday night before playing Sunday at New Jersey to close out the season series with the Devils.

Jesper Fast's late 3rd period goal brought Carolina even and allowed Jesperi Kotkaniemi's shootout winner to give the Canes a 4-3 win over the Canadiens. The win gives Carolina a 4-point lead over New Jersey -- with a game in hand -- after the Devils lost at home to Toronto. Jaccob Slavin and Brady Skjei each scored for Carolina, who spent the majority of the first two periods making a mess with the puck. Turnovers led to all three Montreal goals as the Habs took a 3-2 lead into the 3rd. But, Jesper Fast forced a turnover that led to his rebound goal and, ultimately, to the Canes' 20th road win of the season. Carolina is off until taking on the Flyers at PNC Arena on Thursday

Teuvo Teravainen's second career hat trick was one of many highlights in the Canes' 6-0 pasting of the Lightning. Jesperi Kotkaniemi had the first 5-point game of his NHL career, notching a goal and four assists, Martin Necas had three helpers, and the Hurricanes went 4 for 5 on the power play in winning their second straight game. Carolina is now 7 for 9 with the man advantage the last two nights with the addition of defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who tallied a power play goal for the second straight night and tossed in a couple of assists as well. Freddie Andersen didn't have to do much, but a shut out is a shut out -- his first of the year, and Carolina's 7th as a team. The Canes lead the Metro by 2 points over the Devils with a game in hand.

The Hurricanes celebrated the passing of the trade deadline with a 6-1 pasting of the Arizona Coyotes. One of the Canes' acquisitions, former Arizona defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, jump started the power play with his 11th goal of the season and then Carolina proceeded to score two more with the man advantage. Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas added extra man goals, for Aho it was the second of two on the night for him. Carolina's lead in the Metro is up to 2 points over New Jersey, who lost to Vegas in a shootout.

The Hurricanes dropped a 3-2 decision to the Golden Knights in Las Vegas less than 48 hours before the trade deadline. Are the Hurricanes additions enough? Will Jesse Puljujarvi and Shayne Gostisbehere help keep the Canes on top of the Metropolitan Division and be enough to advance deep in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Or, with still a little more than 24 hours to go, will the front office make another move to fortify what has been one of the best teams in the NHL all season?