Regular Season, Game 11: Hurricanes at Tampa Bay Lightning

Tonight is going to be about having a short memory after losing 5-2 to the Florida Panthers on Saturday night, the team's first loss of the season. The job doesn't get any easier with the Canes setting their sights on the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning. These two teams are well-acquainted, playing eight times in the regular season, five games in the postseason, and twice again this preseason. Both teams have notable absences in their lineups tonight. Carolina will be without Brett Pesce and Nino Niederreiter yet again, and Alex Lyon was called up to serve as the back-up while Antti Raanta recovers. The Lightning will be without Mikhail Sergachev, serving the last game of his suspension for a hit in a game last Thursday against Toronto, Zach Bogosian, out with an injury, and Nikita Kucherov, who always seems to miss large chunks of the regular season. Even without Kucherov, this is one of the most skilled, lethal offenses in the league and they boast the world's best goalie. Figuring out Andrei Vasilevskiy is an adventure every time these two play. The same group of 18 skaters will play tonight for the Canes with Frederik Andersen starting in the net. Tonight needs to be a huge statement game for the Canes to return to form after a lackluster performance Saturday night. That will start with the penalty kill shutting down a star-studded power play for Tampa Bay. It's going to be a slugfest tonight and I can't wait.

1st Period

Scoring

None

Thoughts

The Canes controlled the puck for most of the period. The only thing missing was a goal. Fortunately, Tampa Bay didn't score either after a strong push to start the game. I'm getting a little tired of saying the first power play unit moved the puck well but didn't score. Frederik Andersen wasn't tested much in the period, but nothing got through him when they did get shots. The penalty call on Brendan Smith at the end of the period was very weak and Rod Brind'Amour let the referees know that. I didn't think there was much to call and it looked like a good play to me. There wasn't a whole lot to talk about with this period. Carolina had the puck and didn't score. Something to keep an eye on will be Erik Cernak. He blocked a shot on the Canes' second power play and went to the dressing room. 

2nd Period

Scoring

(TB) 9:00- Steven Stamkos (7) (assisted by Mathieu Joseph (4) & Alex Killorn (5))

Thoughts

It was 5-on-3, there was a defenseman hurt by a shot, and the goalie lost his skate blade. The Canes didn't score and looked like they were taking their sweet time with the puck. They are moving the puck great when they're a man-up. They can't score and it's starting to get frustrating to watch. Even worse is that Tampa Bay hasn't had many shots on Andersen, yet they're up 1-0 after Stamkos scores. An argument could be made Killorn should've been called for interference by setting a pick, but tough nuts. Andersen has made some huge saves to keep it 1-0, but Vasilevskiy is still perfect. The Canes took a few penalties, but the kill has looked good. If they have any chance of winning, they need to make sure they stay out of the box in the third period. 

3rd Period

Scoring

(CAR) 9:56- Teuvo Teravainen (3) PP (assisted by Vincent Trocheck (8) & Andrei Svechnikov (8))

Thoughts

The Canes continued to control the puck and they were rewarded on the power play with a beautiful passing play from Svechnikov to Trocheck to Teravainen to tie it up. The penalty on Stamkos that led to the goal was a bit soft, but that feels a bit indicative of the way the game has been called. There have been a bunch of soft calls tonight. Andersen stood tall again and Vasilevskiy remained almost impossible to beat. Neither goal has had any chance on the goals they've allowed tonight. The Canes could've had a 2-1 lead, but Lorentz poked it just wide. This is the first overtime of the season for the Canes, so this should be very interesting.

Overtime

Scoring

(CAR) 3:26- Martin Necas (3) (assisted by Sebastian Aho (7) & Tony DeAngelo (9))

Thoughts

After Vasilevskiy kept the Canes off the board for so long, he was beaten twice on clean shots in overtime. Brady Skjei beat him glove high, but it was called offsides. Then, after some excellent defense from Andrei Svechnikov and Frederik Andersen, Martin Necas beat him blocker side to get out of Tampa Bay with the second point tonight. Both shots were wired and it's good that this didn't go to a shootout because I wasn't liking our chances 1-on-1 with Vasilevskiy.

Canes' Three Stars of the Game

Third Star- Frederik Andersen (17 Saves on 18 Shots)

Andersen was not tested often but when he was, they were high-quality chances. Andersen kept the Canes in the game by stopping almost everything thrown his way and it was nice to see that Saturday's performance was a one-off. He made some major stops after the Canes tied the game in the third period, then stood tall in overtime to get his ninth win of the season.

Second Star- Martin Necas (Game-winning Goal in OT)

A known Lightning killer, Martin Necas strikes again with yet another overtime winner. He had a great chance off an Aho feed earlier in the overtime session that he forked just wide, very reminiscent of the overtime-winner he scored in these team's first meeting last season. I thought he was the perfect guy to get this game-winner and help the team escape with two points.

First Star- Teuvo Teravainen (Game-tying PP Goal)

I loved the way Teravainen played all night. He shot the puck a lot, especially on the power play, so it felt like he was going to be the one to break through with the team's first goal. He was the benefactor of a great pass from Vincent Trocheck across the crease and he helped finally solve the mystery that was Andrei Vasilevskiy. I'd like to see him shoot the puck more going forward like he did tonight. 

Final Thoughts

It doesn't matter how you do it. Two points are two points no matter how you get it. Unlike last year where every point is sacred since you were only playing division opponents, giving up the one point isn't too big a deal since Tampa Bay isn't in the division. Andrei Vasilevskiy played great and kept Tampa Bay in the game, much like how Frederik Andersen did the exact same for the Canes. While I'd love to see Brady Skjei get that game-winner, it doesn't matter who does it. The team earned four of six points on the road trip and this was a decent way to follow up the first loss of the season. Special teams were critical tonight, going perfect on the kill and scoring on the power play to tie the game. The team gets their 10th win of the season and gets to return home for a back-to-back beginning with Philadelphia on Friday. It's a big division game since they have been few and far between to start the season.