2023-24 Regular Season, Game 67: Hurricanes at Toronto Maple Leafs (Postgame)

The Hurricanes were on the road for their first of three games and the first half of a back-to-back in Toronto on Saturday for Hockey Night in Canada. The Canes are coming off a dominant 4-0 performance on Thursday night against the Florida Panthers. Making their second trip to Toronto this season, Carolina looked to find a way to slow down the league's best goal scorer, Auston Matthews. For two teams deeply entrenched in the playoffs, this was certain to be a fun game between two of the league's most interesting teams.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

None

2nd Period

TOR (4:47)- John Tavares (21) (assisted by TJ Brodie (18))

TOR (6:27)- William Nylander (36) (assisted by Morgan Rielly (41))

TOR (12:03)- Nicolas Robertson (9) (assisted by John Tavares (27) & Timothy Liljegren (17))

CAR (13:27)- Jordan Martinook (12) (assisted by Brent Burns (24) & Jesper Fast (12))

CAR (19:57)- Seth Jarvis (22) PP (assisted by Jake Guentzel (32) & Sebastian Aho (44))

3rd Period

TOR (2:55)- David Kampf (6) (assisted by Morgan Rielly (42))

CAR (18:28)- Sebastian Aho (26) PP (assisted by Jake Guentzel (33) & Dmitry Orlov (17))

CAR (19:54)- Sebastian Aho (27) (assisted by Brent Burns (25) & Evgeny Kuznetsov (12))

Overtime

None

Shootout

CAR- Jake Guentzel (CAR 1-0)

My Thoughts

We could sit here and talk about all of the reasons why the Carolina Hurricanes shouldn't have one that game, but what good would that do us? I'm sure if you were sitting there watching this game, there was a moment when you could start feeling your heart beating out of your chest. For me, it was pretty much for all of overtime. The Canes deserved to be in the hole they were in. They were incredibly bad in the neutral zone in the second period, and that's why the Leafs were able to jump out to their lead. Even after Jordan Martinook and Seth Jarvis did what they could to get the Canes back into the game, the poor puck management allowed David Kampf to get loose for another breakaway. If not for some heroics in the final 1:32, the Canes would've left Toronto without a point. Fortunately, Sebastian Aho is very good and put the team on his back before Jake Guentzel won it in the shootout.

As is often the case, the Canes won this game with its special teams. While the ledger will only show two power-play goals in the game, it really was three. There was the traditional 5-on-4 goal that Jarvis scored in the final seconds of the second period, which was the only "normal" power-play tally of the night. Then, there was the 6-on-4 advantage to pull within a goal in the final two minutes, which counts as the second with the man advantage. Finally, there's the game-tying goal with Pyotr Kochetkov on the bench to make it a 6-on-5. Technically, it's at even strength, but it's operated as a power play. On the other side of the coin, the Canes refused to break on the penalty kill. They allowed 11 shots on four Toronto power plays, the final of which came in overtime. Kochetkov saved the game with his right toe in overtime, robbing John Tavares' chance to end it.

While Aho's two-goal, three-point performance is the big story, this took everyone to get done. I think the most underrated save of the night came after Toronto made it 3-0. Former Hurricane Max Domi, who finished the game tied with a game-high seven shots, was stopped at the side of the net right before Martinook got the Canes on the board. Domi had another chance in overtime that Kochetkov robbed him of as the puck squirted off the outside of the net before Kochetkov pulled out the poke check on him in the shootout. Brent Burns picked up two assists in his 1,400th game. Guentzel added two assists to his shootout winner. Evgeny Kuznetsov assisted on the tying goal. Dmitry Orlov drew both penalties that the Canes scored on and assisted on a late goal. Jesper Fast scored his 100th point as a Hurricane. It wasn't remotely close to a great night for the Canes, but they found a way to earn two points. 

My Three Stars of the Game

3rd Star- Dmitry Orlov- 1 assist

Several players were deserving, but Orlov's night went far beyond the box score. He drew two penalties, and the Canes scored on both of them. The second power-play goal featured a secondary assist from Orlov. He tied for a team-high with four hits, too. This is easily Orlov's best stretch of the season, as he hit the 20-point mark tonight. 

2nd Star- Jake Guentzel- 2 assists, Shootout Winner

With Teravainen out of the lineup tonight and tomorrow for sure, this was a perfect opportunity for Guentzel to step up. He picked up two assists on the power play, both of which were primary helpers. He took a necessary penalty in overtime on Matthews, and his teammates helped him out by killing it off. To add the icing to the cake, he picked up the deciding goal in the shootout, completing a huge comeback.

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

Against the league's best, you can usually count on Aho to have a great night. As he did in December, Aho finished with a three-point night, but the two most important were his two goals in the final 92 seconds to ensure the Canes earned at least one point. The redirection on the tying goal was especially pretty. Burns managed to fit it through so many defenders before Aho perfectly placed it outside of Samsonov's left pad. 

Postseason Watch- As the Hurricanes picked up two points, so too did the New York Rangers. They got back in the win column by putting up seven goals against the Penguins in Pittsburgh. Artemi Panarin scored two goals and added three assists in the 7-4 win to maintain their four-point lead over the Canes. 

While they didn't make up any ground on the Rangers, the gap widened between the Canes and the Flyers. Philadelphia made it close in Boston, but they fell short 6-5. The Hurricanes now hold a 12-point lead as it looks ever more likely they'll hold home ice for at least the first round. It also didn't help that the Islanders earned a point in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Senators, putting them three points back of third place with two games in hand.

Up Next- The Canes will turn around to complete the back-to-back tomorrow in Ottawa against the Senators. Ottawa will also be completing a back-to-back, likely sending Anton Forsberg out against Frederik Andersen. The final stop of the road trip will be on Long Island against the Islanders, marking the fourth and final meeting of the regular season. 

Pregame Notes- Kochetkov vs. Samsonov. Burns' 1400th NHL game. Teravainen- Out (UBI). Lemieux- In. Marner- Out (High-ankle sprain).

1st Period

Fast knocks down a pass, nearly setting up a chance

Guentzel's pass is knocked down

Guentzel tips one wide

Edmundson's shot is caught

Rielly misses wide

Guentzel is blockered away

Jarvis misses wide

Staal hits the side of the net

Staal tips one wide

Burns' pass doesn't connect with Staal

Commercial Break (7:37)

Chatfield is stopped from a tough angle

Orlov's backhand is stopped

Domi's flip is covered

Necas is stopped off the draw

Toronto almost had too many men

Commercial Break (10:55)

Fast's tip is stopped

Fast is called for hooking in the offensive zone (11:39)

Kochetkov holds one from Nylander

Tavares is called for holding (12:56) (Canes' PK- 1-for-1 tonight) (43 seconds of 4-on-4)

The Canes are on the PP

Kochetkov denies Dewar short-handed

The Leafs kill it (1-for-1 tonight)

Orlov's kicked out

Commercial Break (15:13)

Kochetkov picks up the puck with his blocker 

Staal is called for holding (15:41)

Liljegren is blockered away

Robertson misses wide

Kochetkov denies one from the right dot

The Canes kill it (2-for-2 tonight)

Dewar is called for holding in the offensive zone (18:02)

Burns misses wide

Skjei is blockered away

2nd Period

There is only 1 linesman on the ice

The Leafs kill the final 2 seconds (2-for-2 tonight)

Necas and Dewar collided in the neutral zone

Kochetkov swallows one from McMann

Aho is stopped from the boards

Svech's backhand is stopped

Slavin's shot is denied

Necas is stopped in the slot (Kuzy kept it in twice)

Chatfield's blast is stopped

Liljegren is blockered away

Martinook's wrap is stopped

Domi is robbed after Kochetkov turns it over

Pesce is blockered away

Aho snaps one wide

Tavares finishes a breakaway (4:47) (Fast's pass hits KK's skate)

Kochetkov blockers one away

Nylander misses wide

Nylander finishes a breakaway on the backhand (6:27)

Skjei fans on a chance

Commercial Break (7:07)

Jarvis misses wide

Matthews is denied from deep

Knies is called for holding Necas (9:20)

Jarvis couldn't redirect one

Nylander is denied short-handed on a 2-on-1

Necas is stopped while coming up the boards

McMann misses wide short-handed

The Leafs kill it (3-for-3 tonight)

Matthews is stopped

Tavares finds Robertson (12:03)

Commercial Break (12:10)

Domi is denied

Martinook puts home a rebound (13:27) (Fast's 100th point as a Hurricane)

Kochetkov kicks one out from Robertson

Samsonov robbed Guentzel

The lines have been shuffled (Guentzel with Aho)

Matthews tips one off the post

Staal is kicked out

Kochetkov stops a redirection

Commercial Break (17:33)

Chatfield is kicked out

Orlov is tripped by McCabe (18:51)

Burns defends Dewar short-handed

Jarvis puts home a rebound (19:57)

3rd Period

Guentzel is stopped on the goal line

Skjei's drive is denied

Chatfield snaps one off the post

Orlov misses wide

Burns is blockered away

Kampf buries a breakaway (2:55)

Jarvis is taken down hard by McCabe

Matthews is denied alone in the slot

Kuzy is stopped on the boards

Martinook is called for high sticking (5:16)

Matthews is stopped from the bumper

Liljegren is stopped

Fast is stopped on a short-handed breakaway

Knies is blockered away

The Canes kill it (3-for-3 tonight)

Kochetkov stops Matthews

Martinook's backhand is stopped

Orlov levels Gregor

Commercial Break (10:48)

Domi cleared it out by himself, so it should've been a penalty, but it isn't

Guentzel's shot is held

Burns is kicked away

Slavin hits the post

Kuzy is stopped with a toe

Commercial Break (12:41)

Kochetkov catches one from the point

Kochetkov stops McMann's backhand

Chatfield's shot is directed wide

Staal is stopped

Dewar's spinner is stopped

Guentzel's pass is intercepted

Commercial Break (14:49)

Svech is denied

Necas pokes one to Samsonov

Kochetkov catches Bertuzzi's backhand

Kochetkov goes to the bench with 3:43 left

Orlov draws a hook against Kampf (17:06)

The Canes call their timeout before the PP

Kochetkov stays on the bench for the PP

Guentzel misses wide

The Leafs miss the empty net

Orlov's one-timer is blocked

Aho redirects one home from Orlov (18:28)

Kochetkov is back on the bench with 1:30 left

Aho is denied

Necas misses wide

Burns misses high

Aho/Burns/Necas scores with 5.8 left (19:54)

Overtime

Staal, Burns, and Slavin start

Slaivn's blast is stopped

Tavares misses wide

Kuzy is stopped on a 2-on-0

Tavares misses wide

Necas misses wide

Domi is denied

Kochetkov catches one from Matthews

Guentzel is called for slashing (2:13)

Toronto calls their timeout

Nylander can't get his stick on one

Matthews' one-timer is held

Domi's shot is caught

Tavares is stopped by Kochetkov's toe

The Canes kill it (4-for-4 tonight)

Rielly misses wide

Kochetkov stops one from Liljegren

Shootout

1. Nylander- denied on the backhand

2. Kuznetsov- is stopped at a snail's pace

3. Matthews- doesn't get a good chance as Kochetkov waited

4. Svechnikov- forces his backhand wide

5. Domi- stopped by the flying poke check

6. Guentzel- slides one five-hole