2023-24 Regular Season, Game 72: Hurricanes vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (Pregame)

Friday night was a wild and wacky time in Washington, D.C., for the Carolina Hurricanes. It felt like neither the Canes nor the Capitals ever truly took control of the game, swapping the lead several times throughout the first 60 minutes. Whenever one team scored, another goal seemed to follow, especially during the final 28 minutes of the contest. Ultimately, the Hurricanes weren't able to pick up their sixth straight win, falling 7-6 in a five-round shootout to the Capitals. The top line continued to roll for the Hurricanes. Sebastian Aho scored his eighth career hat trick, giving him 30 goals for the season. Jake Guentzel recorded three primary assists, giving him 11 points in seven games as a Hurricane. Seth Jarvis scored on the power play in the third period, extending his goal streak to six games. Martin Necas added two assists, and Jaccob Slavin had a goal and an assist in the first period, while also making a game-saving stop in overtime. It was an ugly and rare poor defensive game for Carolina, but they managed to earn a point, so it wasn't a total loss. 

The Opponent: Toronto Maple Leafs (40-20-9, 89 Points- 3rd in the Atlantic Division)

Last Meeting- The Hurricanes were in Toronto last Saturday night for the second meeting of the season. After a scoreless first period, the Maple Leafs took control in the second period. John Tavares and William Nylander scored on breakaways 100 seconds apart, and Nicolas Robertson added one more to make it 3-0. Jordan Martinook responded less than 90 seconds later, and Seth Jarvis picked up a goal on the power play with less than four seconds left to pull the Canes within a goal going into the third period. David Kampf seemingly put a dash in the Canes' hopes with a breakaway goal early in the third period, restoring Toronto's two-goal lead. The Maple Leafs looked to be on their way to a win, but Sebastian Aho had other plans. He scored on the power play with 1:32 left and redirected a Brent Burns shot with less than seven seconds left to steal at least one point. Neither side scored in overtime before Jake Guentzel undressed Ilya Samsonov in the bottom of the third round of the shootout to complete the 5-4 comeback.

Since We Last Met- Toronto has won two of their last three since they blew their 4-2 lead against the Hurricanes last weekend. After losing to the Flyers in their next game, they outscored the Capitals and Oilers 13-6 in a pair of wins, with the latter coming last night, meaning this will be the second half of a back-to-back for them. Joseph Woll didn't even dress for their game last night, getting to Raleigh ahead of his teammates to prepare for his start tonight. They've been doing it without Mitch Marner, who will miss his sixth straight game tonight with a high-ankle sprain. Toronto's penalty kill has struggled recently, and that really goes back to before their meeting last Saturday. They've allowed ten goals on the power play in their last nine games, including two to the Canes. Offense is, and will always be, the name of their game. Auston Matthews remains the league's best goal scorer. William Nylander is close to 40 goals as he aims for his first 100-point season. John Tavares has been scoring at a torrid pace. They're an offensive-minded team that is excelling in that area of the game right now. 

Stories/Keys of the Game

1. The Penalty Kill Let the Canes Down in D.C.

To be honest, I'm not very worried about the penalty kill, despite their 3-for-6 performance against the Capitals on Friday night. They're still one of the best groups in the NHL, and they've proven it numerous times this season. However, the Maple Leafs have one of the best power plays in the league. Even during this recent stretch without Mitch Marner, they've converted at least once in three straight games. They're a Top 5 group led by a pair of natural snipers. The Canes are 7-for-7 against the Leafs in two games, and that's on the road. At home, the Canes feed off the crowd during and after kills. It's very possible that Friday was a one-off, but it'll be worth watching tonight.

2. The Top Line Can't Do it All

Jake Guentzel has been a wonderful Hurricane since coming over from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline. He really started taking off once he was paired with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis in the third period against the Leafs. Since last Saturday, Aho (11), Guentzel (10), and Jarvis (6) have combined for 27 points. Their 13 goals have accounted for more than half of the Hurricanes' total goals in the last five games. While this is great for this trio, it's time for the other lines to join the fun. The defense has done a solid job of helping out, but I'm looking for Andrei Svechnikov, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Teuvo Teravainen, who just returned on Friday, to be a big part of tonight's game. 

3. Several Guys Stepping Up in Marner's Absence

While Mitch Marner is a major part of Toronto's offense, the Maple Leafs seem to be doing just fine right now. They're 4-1-1 since he exited the lineup with his injury, scoring over five goals per game during this stretch. The help on the offensive end has come from throughout the lineup. Sure, the stars are doing their jobs. John Tavares and Auston Matthews have 11 points each, and William Nylander has nine, though it's the other guys who have taken on larger roles and thrived. Max Domi is at the top of that list. He has seven assists and eight points in six games, playing a lot with Matthews. Bobby McMann has scored four goals and is coming off a three-point game last night. Timothy Liljegren has been a point-per-game player. It has come from everywhere as they look to make up for one of the league's premier playmakers.