2023-24 Regular Season, Game 28: Hurricanes at Ottawa Senators (Postgame)

The Hurricanes returned to the East Coast for the first time in a few weeks after a very rough West Coast swing. Riding a four-game losing streak, the Canes were in Canada's capital to meet the Ottawa Senators for the first time since Opening Night. In desperate need of a win, the Canes needed to turn things around quickly. 

Scoring Summary

1st Period

OTT (7:27)- Josh Norris (7) (assisted by Erik Branstrom (3) & Claude Giroux (14))

CAR (18:49)- Martin Necas (8) PP (assisted by Brady Skjei (12) & Jack Drury (6))

2nd Period

CAR (12:18)- Sebastian Aho (9) PP (assisted by Tony DeAngelo (7) & Teuvo Teravainen (8))

CAR (13:39)- Seth Jarvis (10) (assisted by Sebastian Aho (15) & Dmitry Orlov (11))

CAR (17:19)- Sebastian Aho (10) (assisted by Brett Pesce (2) & Brady Skjei (13))

3rd Period

None

My Thoughts

Was this so hard? Could we not have seen an effort like this a time or two on this trip? This looked like a brand-new team. There wasn't an area of this game that I didn't think the Hurricanes dominated. Yes, they allowed the first goal of the game, but they were nearly perfect from there. At the center of it was a goalie who needed a great start and a star who needed to take over the game. It all combined for a streak-breaking win to finally get back into the win column. 

I refuse to take the credit for this win, but I went 3-for-3 tonight with my pre-game keys. First, the change in the time zone did provide a different result. Of the three keys, this was the most out there. While I'm sure it was nice to be closer to home, I think the quality of the opponent played a part, too. I mean no disrespect to the Senators, but the Canes played three significantly better teams out west. I did say the Senators being last in the division was misleading because of all the games they have in hand. Tonight, the Canes outclassed them despite a strong start by Joonas Korpisalo. 

Second, the power play was game-changing, going 2-for-2 for the Canes' first two goals of the game. This could apply to the penalty kill, too. The Canes found life at the end of the first period when Martin Necas scored on the power play. Then, the penalty kill made consecutive stops early in the second period, allowing the power play to get another goal a few minutes later to take the lead, and they'd never look back. The Canes allowed four shots on four penalty kills. Each power play unit recorded a goal. The big change was the return of Tony DeAngelo to the lineup. He was on PP1, picking up an assist. The second unit featured Brent Burns and Brady Skjei, who each made key plays on the goal by Necas. Special teams were the deciding factor, and the Canes were on the right side of the battle. 

Third, Sebastian Aho was better than Ottawa's stars. When he took over the game in the second period, it turned into another vintage Aho performance. After going pointless to begin the trip, Aho ripped a goal on the power play in the second period, and the floodgates opened. He would add an assist to Seth Jarvis for the third goal before scoring his second of the period during a 4-on-4 a few minutes later. In 5:01, Aho had three points. This doesn't take into account the breakaway he had in the first period and the other good chances he had throughout the game. He was the best player on the ice tonight. 

The only player who could challenge Aho as the best player on the ice tonight was Pyotr Kochetkov. He was electric. There wasn't much he could do about the early goal from Josh Norris after it was redirected with Jordan Martinook in his crease after going hard into the goalpost. After that, he was flawless. He flashed the leather, the pads, and the stick at various points in the game to make some top-tier stops. The sequence leading up to and during the penalty shot will likely be discussed ad nauseam. Honestly, I was surprised it was called a penalty shot in the first place. I didn't think Kochetkov threw his stick as he moved to challenge the initial chance. I understand that it prevented the puck from crossing the line, but the referees can't officiate based on intent. The entire interaction with Brady Tkachuk was borderline comical. You could make a case that Tkachuk was tripped. You could also make a case that it was a clean play. Regardless, Tkachuk was upset that his team was losing 4-1 late in the game, so he decided to jaw at Kochetkov, who gave it right back to him. While Aho likely needed a performance like this more, there's no doubt this could be a big building block for Kochetkov. 

My Three Stars of the Game

3rd Star- Seth Jarvis- 1 goal

He'll only show up on the scoresheet with one goal, but Jarvis' effort was felt in many ways tonight. His screen on Aho's first goal kept Korpisalo guessing the entire time, making him move one way as the shot came in the other way. Then, he was rewarded with a goal to hit double digits. 

2nd Star- Pyotr Kochetkov- 31 saves

Kochetkov's highlight reel from this game will be something to behold. He made at least one huge save at crucial moments in all three periods. Outside of the poke check on the penalty shot, the two-pad stack on Batherson in the second period was my favorite. He was oozing confidence tonight, and it showed in his performance. 

1st Star- Sebastian Aho- 2 goals, 1 assist

While one period doesn't make up for four games without a point, it was nice to see Aho back on the scoresheet. The Senators gave him an inch in the second period, and Aho took several miles. Both goals were put in identical spots, and his pass to Jarvis showed his appreciation for the screen Jarvis set. If he can carry this into Detroit, the Canes could be back for good. 

Up Next- The road trip will come to an end on Thursday night in Detroit. I'm not sure the end could be coming at a better time. The Wings have been in the news a lot lately. They just placed several players on IR, including captain Dylan Larkin. David Perron was suspended for six games and is appealing. Patrick Kane just made his debut with the team last week, scoring in his second game. Both teams will have plenty to fight for. The Canes will return to Raleigh on Friday night to complete a back-to-back with a well-rested Nashville Predators team.