2023-24 Regular Season, Game 68: Hurricanes at Ottawa Senators (Pregame)

There's never a dull moment when the Hurricanes and Maple Leafs meet in Toronto, and last night was no exception. After a scoreless first period, Toronto made Carolina pay for terrible puck management in the neutral zone. John Tavares, William Nylander, and Nicolas Robertson all beat Pyotr Kochetkov to put Toronto up 3-0. Jordan Martinook got one back shortly after Robertson's goal, and Seth Jarvis scored on the power play with less than three seconds left to get the Canes back into it, trailing 3-2 after 40 minutes. David Kampf scored on a breakaway early in the third period, and it looked like Toronto was about to close the door on the Canes. Instead, Sebastian Aho scored twice in the final 1:32 of regulation, including the tying goal with less than seven seconds to go, to earn the Canes at least one point. Toronto earned a chance on the power play midway through overtime after Jake Guentzel slashed Auston Matthews, but Kochetkov and the penalty kill stood their ground, pushing the game to a shootout. Guentzel would earn his redemption, scoring in the bottom of the third of a scoreless shootout to steal the second point, capping off a two-assist night with the winner. Kochetkov stopped 36 shots to earn the win, while Aho scored his second three-point game against the Leafs this season.

The Opponent: Ottawa Senators (28-33-4, 60 Points- 8th in the Atlantic Division)

Last Meeting- Returning back east after an abysmal start to the six-game road trip, the Hurricanes were desperate to win in Ottawa when they visited in mid-December. Having lost four straight games, it didn't help that Josh Norris broke the ice in the first period. The Canes got the goal back late in the first period when Martin Necas scored on the power play to tie things up after 20 minutes. This would help the Canes build the momentum they needed to break the game open in the second period. Sebastian Aho added another power-play goal, and Seth Jarvis would finish a 2-on-1 1:21 later to extend the lead. Aho would get his second goal and third point of the night to make it four unanswered goals before the end of the period. The Canes looked like they would cruise to a win in the third period, but not before we got some fireworks. Pyotr Kochetkov was called for throwing his stick to deny a shot, allowing Brady Tkachuk to take a penalty shot. Kochetkov went with his patented flying poke check on the attempt, sending Tkachuk hard into the boards. The Senators' captain took exception to this and was sent to the locker room early. The 4-1 win for the Canes snapped their losing streak, setting the stage for a miraculous turnaround.

Since We Last Met- The Seantors' season has been filled with inconsistencies, planting them at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, despite hopes that they'd be making a big jump. They signed Vladimir Tarasenko in the offseason, and they'd be getting Jakob Chychrun for a full season to add to their defense. Instead, they started slow and haven't been able to recover. After losing to the Hurricanes in December, the Senators have gone 17-21-4. They traded Tarasenko at the deadline, getting a measly return for him. Things have gone a little better for Ottawa lately, winning three straight games in extra time after a seven-game losing streak. Like the Hurricanes, they played yesterday, beating the Islanders 4-3 in overtime behind a hat trick by Brady Tkachuk and three assists from Tim Stutzle. Tkachuk has hit 30 goals for the third straight season, and Stutzle extended his points lead over the rest of his teammates, sitting with 47 assists and 63 points. 

Stories/Keys of the Game

1. Going Back to Where it Began

Entering Ottawa on December 12, the Hurricanes were 14-12-1, sitting outside of a playoff spot and failing to live up to the label as a preseason favorite for the Stanley Cup. They'd lost four straight games on a road trip and were spiraling. That 4-1 win over the Senators sparked something in the Hurricanes that night because they've been rolling ever since. Beginning with that win, the Canes have gone 27-8-5 over the last three months, settling comfortably into second place in the Metropolitan Division with the Rangers in their sights. The goaltending has been the biggest part of that, with Pyotr Kochetkov holding a league-best 2.07 GAA over his last 23 starts. His poke check and confrontation with Brady Tkachuk might've had more of an impact on the season than we all realized. 

2. Teravainen's Absense Elevates Guentzel's Role

Teuvo Teravainen didn't make the trip to Toronto, so that will also rule him out for this game. Last night, we got our first glimpse of Sebastian Aho and Jake Guentzel together, and there was certainly some magic there. They connected on two goals, helping to set up Seth Jarvis' tally in the second period before Guentzel earned the primary assist on Aho's first goal of the third period. Part of the blending of the lines brought the two together, so I wouldn't be surprised to see them together at 5-on-5 tonight, too. I'm confident that last night's shootout winner will help Guentzel find the back of the net in Canada's capital.

3. Anton Forsberg Owns the Hurricanes

With Joonas Korpisalo playing for the Senators against the Islanders, logic would seem to dictate that former Hurricane Anton Forsberg will be in the net tonight. Forsberg had two stints with the team. He was first acquired by the Hurricanes in 2019 in a trade sending Calvin de Haan to Chicago. Forsberg made three appearances for the team that season, including a 3-2 overtime win on Long Island right before the season was shut down for COVID-19. His second stint was far shorter, being claimed off waivers from Edmonton before being waived again three days later and claimed by Winnipeg. He was waived a few months later, landing in Ottawa, where he has been solid, especially against the Hurricanes. In two appearances against Carolina during the 2021-22 season, Forsberg stopped 89 of 94 shots he faced in a pair of wins for Ottawa. He hasn't faced the Canes since then, with Korpisalo taking both starts this season. Times have changed, but it doesn't make me feel any better during the second half of a back-to-back.