2023-24 Regular Season, Game 23: Hurricanes vs. Buffalo Sabres (Pregame)

The Hurricanes managed to earn a point against the New York Islanders despite being the better team for most of the night. They were throwing everything they could at Semyon Varlamov but were never able to extend their lead past one goal. They got on the board first as Jalen Chatfield won a race to the net to pop a shot in the air and off the back of Varlamov to take a 1-0 lead. Bo Horvat tied things up late in the period by redirecting a pass from Mathew Barzal with 2:00 left. Jordan Staal got the Canes ahead early in the second period, scoring on a rebound for his first goal since Opening Night. Things were looking good for Carolina, but a short-handed goal by Simon Holmstrom and a go-ahead goal by Pierre Engvall have New York up 3-2 going into the third. Both goals were soft, and Pyotr Kochetkov likely wants them back. Jack Drury tied the game 39 seconds into the third, but Kyle Palmieri got one on the power play to restore the lead about six minutes later. The Canes kept pushing for the tying goal, and they eventually got it in the final seconds. With 2.5 seconds left, Sebastian Aho poked one through Varlamov to force overtime. Unfortunately, that's where the good news ended. Mathew Barzal completed his four-point night by scoring the game-winner in overtime on a one-timer, forcing the Canes to settle for one point. 

The Opponent: Buffalo Sabres (10-11-2, 22 Points- 6th in the Atlantic Division)

Last Meeting- The Sabres were in Raleigh on November 7. Tony DeAngelo got the scoring started on the power play, keeping a clearing attempt in the zone and snapping one past Ukko-Pekka Luukonen. Alex Tuch tied the game early in the second period. He poked the puck away from Seth Jarvis before burying a rebound to knot the game through two periods. Brady Skjei would put the Canes ahead early in the third, finishing a beautiful pass from Sebastian Aho. Rasmus Dahlin turned into a one-man power play by playing the puck to himself off the boards and burying his shot past Antti Raanta to tie it less than 90 seconds later. After Raanta made a diving stop from the left dot, the game went into overtime. Martin Necas would provide the magic, winning a race to the front of the net against Owen Power to redirect Aho's pass to the top of the net to give the Canes a 3-2 win.  

Since We Last Met- The Sabres are struggling with consistency, similar to the Hurricanes. They're 4-5-1 since their last visit to Raleigh, with most of their games coming on the road. They've won just two of their last seven on the road as they complete a four-game trip in Raleigh. Some of their issues stem from Tage Thompson's injury. He's missed their last seven games with an upper-body injury, taking a key scorer out of the lineup. Goaltending has also been a small issue. The Sabres just sent Devin Levi back to the AHL, giving Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen the majority of the starts. He's been solid of late, giving the Sabres a fighting chance in a tough division. Even without Thompson, this team has plenty of offensive weapons. Rasmus Dahlin and Casey Mittelstadt have 20 points. JJ Peterka and Jeff Skinner have ten goals. Alex Tuch, Owen Power, and Dylan Cozen all have over ten points. Zach Benson has returned to the lineup and made an immediate impact. There is still plenty of time for them to get hot and make a move for their first postseason appearance in over a decade. 

Stories of the Night

1. Antti Up

Antti Raanta has had a tough go at it of late. He left his start in Edmonton with an injury. He was awful against the Lightning, stopping fewer shots than goals he allowed in an 8-2 loss to Tampa Bay. He hasn't played since then but is likely to get the start against Buffalo. Raanta was great against the Sabres the last time they met, making plenty of high-quality stops in an eventual 3-2 OT win. There have been calls for the team to make a change in the net. Those calls could be silenced with a strong Raanta performance. Otherwise, there will likely be some angry Caniacs demanding a solution. 

2. New Month, New Team

Last December was one of the best months in team history. The Canes went 12-0-1, only losing in overtime to the Ducks early in the month. They won their final ten games heading into the new year as part of their 11-game win streak and 17-game point streak. While I don't think it's likely they'll be nearly that good, it gives me hope they'll be able to start playing more consistently. They've yet to win more than three games in a row, though they also haven't lost more than three in a row. The Staal line was especially impressive in December. The captain had six goals and 11 points. Jordan Martinook had a hat trick and finished with ten points. Jesper Fast had eight points. The contributions came throughout the lineup, something they've done well this season, too. This, and strong goaltending, will be the keys to the Canes replicating their impressive December of 2022. 

3. Building Momentum Before a Road Trip

If you haven't been made aware, the Canes are about to hit the road for their second long road trip of the season. The trip will mostly be spent in Canada, including four games against Western Canadian teams. The last thing the Canes want to do is lose their last two games at home before a long trip. A second win over the Sabres could help get this team feeling good before facing some tough opponents on the trip. That'll be easier said than done against a Sabres team that gave the Canes a good game the last time they were in Raleigh.