2023-24 Regular Season, Game 9: Hurricanes vs. San Jose Sharks (Postgame)

The Hurricanes got back in the win column last night by erasing a 2-0 deficit to win in overtime. The Kotkaniemi line took over the game, combining for three goals and six points. Two goals came from Martin Necas, including the game-winner in overtime. Tonight, the Hurricanes and Sharks will complete back-to-backs. The big news is the return of Andrei Svechnikov after missing the end of last season and the start of this season while recovering from a torn ACL. 

Scoring Summary
1st Period
CAR (6:10)- Teuvo Teravainen (5) PP (assisted by Seth Jarvis (4) & Sebastian Aho (4))
CAR (15:10)- Teuvo Teravainen (6) (assisted by Dmitry Orlov (3) & Jalen Chatfield (1))
2nd Period
None
3rd Period
CAR (6:06)- Teuvo Teravainen (7) (assisted by Seth Jarvis (5) & Sebastian Aho (5))

My Thoughts
This back-to-back was excellent for all fantasy hockey owners with Martin Necas and Teuvo Teravainein, especially if you have both like I do. After the Kotkaniemi line dominated Thursday's win over Seattle, the Aho line was front and center for this victory. Teuvo Teravainen recorded his third hat trick the natural way, doing all the scoring for the Canes tonight. Add multi-point nights for Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, and the line combined for seven points, 24 hours after the Kotkaniemi line connected for six. 

While the score shows 3-0 in favor of the Hurricanes, San Jose goalie Kaapo Kahkonen deserves some praise for his performance. He committed highway robbery a few times tonight, allowing the Sharks to stay in the game. Unfortunately, San Jose ran into a resurgent Antti Raanta. This is a positive sign for Raanta after a tough road trip. The Sharks have gone without a goal for almost 130 minutes, last scoring with 9:26 left in the third period against Nashville on October 21. While the Sharks only put 20 shots on Antti Raanta tonight, some were high-quality chances. The difference in the game was Nico Sturm ringing the inside of the post with Raanta down and out. He had all the time in the world to bury the puck. Instead, it hit the far post and stayed out. Shortly after, Teravainen completed his hat trick to make it 3-0. 

Every facet of the Canes' game came together in perfect harmony. The offense scored three times. The forecheck was aggressive. The defense broke up several good chances. The goaltending was great. The power play scored. The penalty kill stopped both San Jose power plays. We can talk about how San Jose is missing key players and hasn't won a game, but there are no easy games in the NHL. This was as clean a victory as you could've asked for after a stressful comeback win 24 hours earlier. 

The cherry on top of the sundae was the return of Andrei Svechnikov. He was all over the lineup, playing on all but the Staal line tonight. He played 13:40, saw time on the power play, laid some great hits, and came close to breaking through Kahkonen. There was little evident rust after his prolonged absence. A team already performing well offensively just got back a massive weapon. As he slowly re-integrates into the plans, Svechnikov could immediately take off. More importantly, it was good to see him healthy and having fun. The team got a huge boost with him back on the ice. 

My Three Stars of the Game
3rd Star- Antti Raanta- 20-save shutout
Rough nights in Anaheim and Seattle had us concerned about Raanta. Tonight, he returned to the form we've grown accustomed to seeing. He wasn't busy all night, but he was perfect. His big save early in the game on Sturm was a mood-setter for the shutout to come, the 20th of his career. 

2nd Star- Seth Jarvis- 2 Assists
With another multi-point night, it's becoming more apparent that Jarvis is just beginning the breakout season we all expected to see. He and Teravainen were in sync all night. Both of his assists found Teravainin in the same spot at the side of the net. He's now tied atop the team lead in points with Necas and Kotkaniemi. 

1st Star- Teuvo Teravainen- Hat Trick
After his hot start to the season, Teravainen had been held scoreless since Aho's injury. The move to center may have affected that a little, but he picked it back up tonight. His three goals break the deadlock for the team lead, now placing him in a tie for second in the entire league. Even that has to make Turbo smile a little. 

Up Next- The Hurricanes are back on the road next week, playing their first division games of the campaign. The first division game of the season will be in Philadelphia on Monday night. After that, the team will travel to New York, facing the Rangers on Thursday and the Islanders on Saturday. The first half of November is a light one for the team, with several three-day or longer breaks between games. 

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