Thoughts From My Couch

Last Game: There wasn't much suspense throughout the Carolina Hurricanes' victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday afternoon. The second stop on the Canes' three-game trip was a breeze, thanks in large part to their power play making the top-ranked penalty kill look bad. Sebastian Aho opened the scoring 47 seconds into the contest, snapping a shot from above the dot that hit Connor Dewar's stick and skipped past Stuart Skinner. It was the only goal of the opening frame, but the Canes exploded for three more in the second. Nikolaj Ehlers, who drew the opening power play, unleashed a wicked clapper from the point, beating Skinner cleanly on the power play to double the lead. The fourth line grinded for a goal midway through, getting the puck to Jalen Chatfield at the point. Chatfield's shot hit something on the way in before ringing the post and hitting the back of the net, making it 3-0. Late in the period, Ehlers showcased excellent patience, throwing a blind ...

For the final time this season, the current Top 2 in the Metropolitan Division came together to settle things. The Canes have bested the Penguins twice over the last two weeks, but they've needed overtime to get it done. The Penguins played yesterday afternoon, earning a shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets. For the fifth time this season, Frederik Andersen and Stuart Skinner stood across from one another, trying to give their team the edge. The Canes should have the rest advantage, but the home crowd would help negate that in the Steel City. With plenty to play for, this felt like a big-time bout between two of the division's best. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (0:47-PP)- Sebastian Aho (25) (Seth Jarvis (29)) 2nd Period CAR (6:24-PP)- Nikolaj Ehlers (21) (Seth Jarvis (30) & Alexander Nikishin (18)) CAR (9:15)- Jalen Chatfield (2) (Eric Robinson (6)) CAR (17:20-PP)- Seth Jarvis (29) (Nikolaj Ehlers (37) & Andrei Svechnikov (35)) 3rd Period PIT (14:56)- Egor Chinakho...

Last Game: The Carolina Hurricanes got their three-game road trip started in Toronto on Friday night. During a slow and uneventful opening 20 minutes, the Maple Leafs struck first, scoring on a Dakota Joshua rebound goal to get the party started. The second period was when things started to go the Hurricanes' way. After drawing a double-minor for high-sticking, the Canes' power play drew them even. Seth Jarvis threw a shot at the net that Jordan Staal tipped past Joseph Woll to tie it up. Eric Robinson, whose face drew the power play, also drew a penalty shot for himself, and he buried it past Woll's glove to put the Canes in front. John Tavares scored a soft goal to tie it at two, but the Canes ended the middle frame in front once more. K'Andre Miller brought pressure to Morgan Rielly and forced him to turn it over, creating a short-handed breakaway for himself. Miller made no mistake, freezing Woll and regaining the Canes' one-goal advantage. William Nylander scor...

It's time for another road trip, but the Carolina Hurricanes aren't straying from their time zone, so that in itself is a win. The Canes begin by heading to the center of the hockey universe to battle the Toronto Maple Leafs, who look very different from the last time they faced the Canes in December. They're without their captain, Auston Matthews, who had season-ending knee surgery this week. They also traded three forwards at the break, allowing a few others to step into the lineup. Still, there is no shortage of top players at the top of the lineup, anchored by the trio of William Nylander, Matthews Knies, and John Tavares. The Canes have played a few very interesting games over the last week, including their wild back-and-forth affair with the Penguins on Wednesday. They haven't put together a 60-minute effort in a good bit, so it would be nice to get that from them tonight. Scoring Summary 1st Period TOR (11:48)- Dakota Joshua (9) (Bo Groulx (2) & Mattias Macce...

Last Game: Wednesday night in Raleigh featured a barnburner between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Canes got off to an early start when Jordan Martinook buried a short-handed breakaway to break the ice. The Penguins got it back midway through the second when a returning Sidney Crosby slid it five-hole on Frederik Andersen. Late in the period, Jackson Blake did the same thing to Stuart Skinner after a power play expired, giving the Canes a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes. No one was prepared for the insanity that the third period brought. Aided by a carry-over penalty and an early trip to make it a 5-on-3, Erik Karlsson hammered a shot off the post and in to tie it. The Stankoven line got it back on a beautiful passing play that Taylor Hall finished. However, a fanned shot by Jaccob Slavin ended with Bryan Rust burying a breakaway to tie it at three. Once again, the Canes retook the lead after Logan Stankoven scored on the power play. Not only did the Penguins tie it...

If the Hurricanes were hoping for an easy ride back into town against the Penguins tonight, they'd be sorely mistaken. Last week, they barely squeaked out a shootout victory after blowing a multi-goal lead in the final three minutes. That was without two of the Penguins' top players in the lineup. Tonight, both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin took the ice for Pittsburgh, hoping to shrink the Canes' lead in the division further to close their road trip. The Canes didn't put together a great effort on Tuesday in Columbus, but they've been very good against the division and the top teams in the league this season, giving us a glimmer of something that they'd be able to turn it around tonight. For their sake, I certainly hope they can. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (9:36-SH)- Jordan Martinook (10) (Jordan Staal (13) & Jaccob Slavin (4)) 2nd Period PIT (9:57)- Sidney Crosby (28) (Rickard Rakell (20) & Erik Karlsson (43)) CAR (16:51)- Jackson Blake (20) (Tayl...