Canes Corner

The Hurricanes weren't bad, but after the first they probably weren't the better team. But, they ARE the better team and Nino Niederreiter got them even with a hard-working goal late in the 3rd period. Then Andrei Svechnikov and Freddie Andersen got them across the finish line in the shootout for a 3-2 win over the Senators. The Hurricanes also got a Derek Stepan goal as they moved back into 1st place in the Metropolitan Division.

Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov are going to be cornerstones of the Carolina Hurricanes for a long time. Tuesday night, they combined to spoil the Vegas Golden Knights' visit to Raleigh with the overtime tally in a 4-3 win. Aho's 18th and 19th goals of the season give him 44 points in 36 games. Andrei, who at one point went through a 12-game stretch with just 3 points, now has a 5-game streak in which he's had 2 points in each game. He has 15 points (5g, 10a) in his last 10 games, and has 36 points in 36 games this year. Tony DeAngelo has at least 1 point in 5 straight games, posting a goal and 8 assists in that span. The Canes will travel to play Ottawa on Thursday.

The Carolina Hurricanes gave rookie goaltender Jack LaFontaine the start in New Jersey. They got off to a fast start with a pair of goals in the first six minutes. Then, most of the skaters took the rest of the night off as LaFontaine was left to fend for himself against a young, speedy, Devils squad with nothing to lose. Predictably, it didn't go very well. the Devils scored 7 of the next 9 goals and pulled away from the Canes.

If the game against the Rangers was in any way a mid-term exam, the Carolina Hurricanes aced the test. Dominant through two periods, the Canes led 5-1 en route to a 6-3 win and reclaimed 1st place in the division. Tony DeAngelo had a goal and two assists against his former team. Sebastian Aho scored his 17th goal of the year and recorded a pair of helpers as well and now has 4 goals and 10 assists in his last 4 games against New York. The last time the Canes and Rangers played was that 3-game sweep during the 2020 bubble-hockey playoff series in Toronto.

Carolina exploded for five 1st period goals en route to a 7-1 win over the Bruins in Boston. Jaccob Slavin came back from a 2-game Covid break to score his 2nd goal of the year. He also added 2 assists and was a +4 on the night. Tony DeAngelo registered three assists and was also a +4. Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored twice, Teuvo Teravainen, Seth Jarvis, Derek Stepan and Andrei Svechnikov each added goals. Freddie Andersen turned aside 31 shots for his second win over the Bruins this season.

Turns out that playing just 5 times in nearly 4 weeks isn't a recipe for continued success. Canes had managed to get 7 points out of the previous four games. But, against Columbus, Carolina was only on the periphery of success. The Jackets blew open a 2-goal game with 3 markers in a 1:07 span of the 3rd on the way to a 6-0 win. One side note, it marked the NHL debut for Hurricanes goaltending prospect Jack :LaFontaine. Less than a week ago he was playing at the University of Minnesota. Tonight, he relieved Frederik Andersen in the 3rd period.