2022-23 Regular Season, Game 9: Hurricanes v. Washington Capitals

The Hurricanes likely owe a huge thank you to Martin Necas for Saturday night's win over Philadelphia. After blowing a 2-0 lead given to them by Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook, the Canes were on their way to a 3-2 regulation loss. That was before Necas beat Hart clean in the final three minutes of the third period, then began a play that eventually led to the overtime-winning goal for Brent Burns to earn two points. Pair that with some timely saves from Antti Raanta to keep the Canes in the game and it was an excellent comeback from the brink of disappointment of possible losses on consecutive nights. Tonight is their third game at home this season after playing six of their first eight on the road. They've split their two home games, beating Columbus on Opening Night and losing to the Islanders on Friday night. 

Projected Lines/Pairs

Teuvo Teravainen-Sebastian Aho-Seth Jarvis

Andrei Svechnikov-Jesperi Kotkaniemi-Martin Necas

Jordan Martinook-Jordan Staal-Jesper Fast

Stefan Noesen-Paul Stastny-Derek Stepan

Jaccob Slavin-Brent Burns

Brady Skjei-Brett Pesce

Dylan Coghlan-Jalen Chatfield

Frederik Andersen

Antti Raanta

Extras- Ondrej Kase (concussion protocol), Calvin de Haan (day-to-day)

There don't appear to be any changes to the forwards or the defense tonight. Derek Stepan is good to go after blocking a shot with his hand on Saturday night and missing the game's final period. Paul Stastny didn't skate this morning, but it looks like it might have just been a maintenance day. Calvin de Haan is close to returning but still isn't quite ready tonight. The only change will be between the pipes as Frederik Andersen will get his sixth start of the season. Andersen has gone through some recent struggles, allowing five goals in two of his last three starts, both losses for the Canes. 

Tonight's Opponent: Washington Capitals (5-4-0, 10 points, 5th in the Metropolitan Division)

While we're all looking forward to the next time the Capitals visit Raleigh, there is still business to handle tonight against a division opponent. Washington started the season without some of their most important pieces, with Nicklas Backstrom, Tom Wilson, and Carl Hagelin all out long-term with injuries. They've played relatively well in their absence, winning five of their last seven contests after starting with two losses. They're coming off a 3-0 victory in Nashville on Saturday night. Offseason signing Darcy Kuemper stopped all 34 shots he faced and Alex Ovechkin scored goal #784 in his career, his team-leading fourth of the season. The loss did come with some more bad news as both TJ Oshie and John Carlson left the game early with injuries and neither will be available for tonight's game. They're big losses for the team as some of their biggest playmakers. Let's not get it twisted though, everything still runs through Ovechkin. He can turn any game in Washington's favor with a shot that might still be amongst the best in the league. He's always a problem against Carolina and I don't expect that to change. 

Last Season v. Carolina- The Capitals had the Canes' number last season, winning three of the four meetings. The first happened in November and after the Canes erased a 2-0 deficit in the third period, but penalty trouble would cost the Canes as Washington capitalized on a late power play to win 4-2 in Raleigh. The final three meetings all took place in March. Vitek Vanecek had the Canes' number when they visited at the beginning of the month, stopping all 36 shots the Canes threw at him in a 4-0 win for Washington. When Washington came back to Raleigh a few weeks later, the Canes were on the verge of solving their issues as Seth Jarvis scored twice and the team led late. However, a bad penalty gave Ovechkin a chance to tie things before Washington eventually won the game in a shootout. The Canes finally figured it out in their final meeting. Martin Necas scored twice and added an assist and four other Canes finished with multi-point games in a 6-1 domination of the Capitals. 

Washington's Starting Goalie: Darcy Kuemper- One of the newer additions to the team, Kuemper has been good despite his 4-3-0 record. He is susceptible to allowing a few goals per game, but he can still get the occasional shutout. He went 1-1-0 against the Canes last season, allowing four goals in his win and just one goal in his loss. He's allowed 14 goals in four career appearances against Carolina.

Washington Player to Watch: Evgeny Kuznetsov- With many players out of their lineup tonight, some forwards will need to step up. Kuznetsov is not off to the hottest of starts, tallying just five assists in the nine games. He also doesn't have a point in their last three games. Tonight feels like a night that he could get going. He historically has played pretty well against the Canes, scoring seven goals and 19 points in 27 contests. 

Scoring Summary

1st Period

(CAR) 4:27- Stefan Noesen (1) PP (assisted by Brent Burns (5) & Martin Necas (7))

2nd Period

(WSH) 1:23- Dylan Strome (2) (assisted by Nick Jensen (6) & Conor Sheary (3))

(WSH) 8:57- Alex Ovechkin (5) PP (assisted by Erik Gustafsson (3) & Evgeny Kuznetsov (6))

(CAR) 15:42- Andrei Svechnikov (8) (assisted by Paul Stastny (3) & Martin Necas (8)

3rd Period

None

Overtime

None

Shootout

1. Brent Burns scores on Darcy Kuemper

2. Evgeny Kuznetsov scores on Frederik Andersen

3. Andrei Svechnikov scores on Darcy Kuemper

4. Alex Ovechkin is stopped by Frederik Andersen

5. Martin Necas is stopped by Darcy Kuemper

6. Dylan Strome is stopped by Frederik Andersen

Let's Talk About the Game

If the Canes hadn't won this game, I would've been extremely disappointed. They were the better team for an overwhelming portion of this game, yet still found themselves down for most of the second period after a slow start to the middle frame. They got off to a hot start courtesy of their power play as Stefan Noesen deflected a shot from Brent Burns to earn his first goal as a Hurricane. This assist also keeps Burns hot as he has points in his fourth straight game (2-2-4). Defensively, the Canes came out playing really well, keeping Washington off the shot chart for a long time in the first period. The Capitals did get two chances on the power play in the final seven minutes of the period, almost getting a 5-on-3 on the second one had it not been for the glass. On both occasions, I was impressed with how the Canes prevented Washington from setting up and getting the puck to Alex Ovechkin in his spot in the left circle. They were so good that the kill had the two best chances on Washington's power plays. 

To start the second period, Washington came out with some jump, getting an early goal from Dylan Strome to tie things despite being grossly outplayed. Sebastian Aho was unable to block Strome out as he lifted one into the top of the net. After the Canes failed to capitalize on their second power play, Brett Pesce was called for his second penalty of the night. This time, Washington executed their plan to perfection. Ovechkin set up in his office and blasted one past Frederik Andersen. I was telling my brother during the game that I'm no longer mad when I see Ovechkin score from there, even when I know it is coming. I'd be willing to bet that if he were given 100 shots with a goalie square to him knowing exactly what was coming, I still think Ovechkin scores more than half of the time. Nevertheless, Ovechkin's 785th goal had the Capitals ahead with more than half of the period left to play. It was around this time that the physicality of the game began to pick up. Pesce would draw a clipping penalty in the neutral zone, a penalty I'm not sure I've ever seen called before, but the Canes were unsuccessful. They wouldn't tie it until late in the period when Martin Necas, who already had an assist on the Noesen goal, did something similar to what he did on the overtime goal Saturday night. As he entered the zone, he waited for a second for everyone to get situated before he threw the puck at Darcy Kuemper. Paul Stastny would get his stick on it and though Kuemper made the initial stop, the puck found Andrei Svechnikov all alone with plenty of time and he put home his eighth goal of the season to tie it. 

The third period was all about who was going to break through and get that next one. While it never came, both teams were extremely close. The moment that changed everything for me was during Washington's power play at the beginning of the third period. Aho was called for tripping in the offensive zone, giving the Capitals a good chance. At the beginning of the advantage, Evgeny Kuznetsov was set up for a one-timer with the net wide open. Instead of burying his first of the season, his shot was blocked by a sprawling Jaccob Slavin, doing his best to get some votes for the Vezina. I'm not sure what Andersen was doing at that moment, but he better be buying Slavin dinner in Tampa Bay. The Canes would successfully kill the penalty and after a few good chances from both sides and a few stretches of 4-on-4, the Canes earned a power play in the final two minutes of regulation. They had all the chances in the world to score, getting one excellent chance in particular from Aho on a rebound, but Kuemper stood tall and forced overtime. In the extra session, the Canes would get another power play, their sixth of the night, yet they still couldn't end the game. The Capitals seemed to run out of gas at that point because they really had one or two good chances. They spent most of the period on the defensive side of the puck, breaking up a great last-second chance from Svechnikov, and the Canes would be getting their first chance in the shootout of the season. Burns would be the first shooter of the skills competition, coming in hot, and beating Kuemper with a wicked shot over his glove. Kuznetsov would be the first off the bench for Washington and after moving towards the net at a glacial pace, he made a quick move to beat Andersen, tying things at one. Svechnikov was next for the Canes and while moving a bit quicker, he beat Kuemper with a similar move we'd just seen Kuznetsov make, giving the Canes the lead again. Andersen would make a huge glove save on Ovechkin on the next shot and though Necas couldn't finish it, Andersen would make another stop on Strome to finish the job and earn the second point. 

We could talk about the Canes not capitalizing on the power play more than once and other small things that the Canes did wrong, but I really liked tonight's effort. Sure, the Capitals were without some of their big players that we'll likely see when these two meet again this season. That doesn't take anything away from tonight's game for me. The guys that have been hot in the last week stayed hot. Necas had another multi-point night. Svechnikov added to his team lead in goals. Burns was spectacular with another point. Slavin was stout defensively. It was a large group effort once again. I do think they still took a few too many penalties, having to kill five penalties and taking two incidental minors that resulted in 4-on-4, though the embellishment penalty on Necas was a bit sketchy. Some bad hits also went uncalled. Noesen ate the boards at one point, getting shaken up, and that wasn't penalized. It was a good win for the team, especially against a division opponent, as the Canes close the month on a high note. 

Canes' Three Stars of the Game

Third Star- Stefan Noesen (First Hurricanes Goal)

I think Noesen has been one of those guys that have gone under the radar for most of the month. He's gotten a lot of time on the top power play and is tied with Necas in points on the man advantage with three points. Tonight, he made an excellent play to deflect the puck past Kuemper to pick up his first as a Hurricanes and his first goal in the NHL in 970 days, the culmination of a strong month. 

Second Star- Martin Necas (2 Assists)

I'm not sure you can point to a more impressive player this month than Necas and he picked up two more points tonight to add to his team lead. Both were secondary assists, but he was huge on both plays, setting them in motion and leading to goals. The only thing that could've made it better was if he'd buried the puck during the shootout. 

First Star- Jaccob Slavin (2 Blocks, 22:52 TOI)

Talking about Slavin's defensive play is a lot of the same thing, but he never ceases to amaze me with some of the stuff he does. Within a few minutes in the third period, Slavin made two game-saving blocks, the biggest being on the power play on Kuznetsov. Even if his numbers are a bit down offensively, he made his mark on this game defensively. 

What's Next

The Canes will get a few days off from playing games before kicking off another back-to-back. The team will travel to Tampa Bay to play the three-time defending Eastern Conference Champions. It has been an uncharacteristically slow start for Tampa Bay, sitting at 5-4-0 at the completion of play tonight. They'll play Ottawa at home on Tuesday night before playing the Canes on Thursday night. Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov have both been on fire to start the season while they try and settle into a rhythm. After their night in Tampa Bay, the Canes will return home to play the Buffalo Sabres. Buffalo dominated Detroit tonight, beating them 8-3 behind a hat trick and six points for Tage Thompson. The Sabres will host Pittsburgh on Wednesday night before traveling to Raleigh. This is a huge set of games for the Canes as they get set for the start of November to build off of a strong ending to October.