2023-24 Regular Season, Game 2: Hurricanes at Los Angeles Kings (Pregame)

No matter how much you want to dissect Opening Night in Raleigh, it doesn't change that the Canes started the season with a victory over the Ottawa Senators. After allowing the first goal of the game, Michael Bunting tied the game on the power play to record his first goal as a Hurricanes, and Teuvo Teravainen gave the Canes the lead late in the second period. Jordan Staal scored 20 seconds into the third period to increase the lead, but two goals in 35 seconds by the Senators tied the game early in the period. Brady Skjei picked up where he left off last season by blasting a shot off the bar and into the net to help the Canes regain their lead, and Jaccob Slavin added a short-handed tally a few minutes later to double the lead. This two-goal lead would stick for the Canes as Frederik Andersen stopped 27 shots to help the team start the season on the right track. With the fanfare of Opening Night behind them, the Hurricanes will hit the road for the first game in a long road trip, taking them through California, Seattle, and Colorado. Early road trips in the season have become a regular occurrence during State Fair season. It'll be the first great test for this team. 

The Opponent: Los Angeles Kings (47-25-10, 104 Points- 1st in the Pacific Division last season)

The first opponent of the road trip for the Hurricanes is the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings were part of a quartet of teams in the Pacific Division that finished with over 100 points, recording 104 to finish 3rd in the division. Led by captain Anze Kopitar's 74 points and 41 goals by Adrian Kempe, the Kings were unable to solve the Edmonton Oilers in the 1st Round of the postseason for the second straight season, falling in six games. Los Angeles made one of the biggest moves of the offseason, trading for Pierre-Luc Dubois from Winnipeg. However, acquiring Dubois cost them Alex Iafallo, Gabe Villardi, and Rasmus Kupari. They also needed to address their goaltending, signing Cam Talbot to play alongside Pheonix Copley. Talbot was in the net for Los Angeles' season opener on Wednesday night against Colorado. After finding themselves on the wrong end of a 3-0 game, Carl Grundstrom and Quinton Byfield brought the Kings within one goal after two periods. However, Mikko Rantanen's second goal of the game and an empty-netter by Miles Wood would sink the ship, handing Los Angeles a 5-2 loss to open the year. 

Last Season's Meetings- The Hurricanes swept the season series with Los Angeles in 2022-23. The first meeting was in Los Angeles in early December. The Canes jumped out to a 3-0 lead through two periods and held on for a 4-2 win. Their meeting in Raleigh in late January was much more interesting. After the Canes led 1-0 after the first period, the Kings put up four goals in the second to take a 4-1 lead into the third. Paul Stastny, Jordan Staal, and Teuvo Teravainen all scored in the third period to knot the game, and Sebastian Aho buried a shot on the power play in overtime to complete the comeback. 

Stories of the Game

1. Building on Wednesday's win

Getting past Opening Night would be a big deal for the Hurricanes, and they managed to earn the win. Now, it's time to string that win into a few more. There were many positives to take away from the win over Ottawa. The penalty kill was phenomenal. The new guys had their moments to shine. The Staal line was lethal for 60 minutes. Outside of a few bad minutes in the first and third, the Canes deserved to win. It was an excellent way to start the season. 

2. The Road Trip Begins

The Hurricanes will be on the road for the next week, playing their next six games away from PNC Arena. With five games on the West Coast, those of us on the East Coach will have some long nights. This isn't an easy trip for the Canes, facing three Western Conference playoff teams and two rebuilding teams they struggled against last season. In a perfect world, the Canes go 5-0-0, but winning three games would be fine in a realistic world. 

3. Los Angeles Looks to Rebound

Conversely, the Kings are looking to turn it around after a rough opening loss to Colorado. Their slow start was too much to overcome. They're a good team with a solid group of skaters. Their biggest concern is the same as last season: their goaltending. Cam Talbot started his career with the Oilers and was great, but he's moved around a lot in the previous few years. Last season was Pheonix Copley's longest time spent in the NHL, and we won a lot, but he's not a long-term #1 goalie. They don't have a game-stealing goalie, which could hurt them. However, the Kings have one of the deepest center cores in the league. They're three-deep at center with Anze Kopitar, Phillip Danault, and Pierre-Luc Dubois. There is plenty of reason for optimism this season for the Kings, but I'd appreciate it if their turnaround didn't start tonight. 

4. Power Play Needs to Heat Up

My only big nitpick for the Hurricanes on Wednesday night was their power play. While they did score the first goal, they only went 1-for-6 and allowed a short-handed goal in the third period. With a change in structure and new players, it will be a work in progress. I'd like the progress to take a big step forward in tonight's game against the Kings. I think we'll see two goals on the power play tonight, one for each unit.