Thoughts From My Couch

For the final time in 2024, the Hurricanes hit the ice. For their New Year's Eve battle, they traveled to Columbus for their third meeting of the campaign against the Blue Jackets. With a split through two meetings, the goal was to keep Kirill Marchenko and Zach Werenski in check to earn two big points before the end of the year. Using Saturday's win over the Devils as a launching point, Sebastian Aho and the top line might have something special in store to ring in the New Year. Scoring Summary 1st Period CBJ (4:48)- Kirill Marchenko (15) (Sean Monahan (21) & Denton Mateychuk (1)) CAR (9:59)- Ty Smith (1) PP (Sebastian Aho (27) & Martin Necas (31)) CBJ (15:43)- Kirill Marchenko (16) (Dmitri Voronkov (11) & Sean Monahan (22)) 2nd Period CAR (5:47)- Jack Roslovic (17) (Seth Jarvis (16) & Sebastian Aho (28)) CAR (8:18)- Jesperi Kotkaniemi (6) (Eric Robinson (11)) 3rd Period CBJ (4:58)- Dmitri Voronkov (13) PP (Sean Monahan (23) & Zach Werenski (29)) Overtime N...

The Carolina Hurricanes finished their 2024 home slate on Saturday night by completing a home-and-home with the New Jersey Devils. The Canes used a four-goal third period to defeat the Devils 5-2 after falling behind twice. Paul Cotter opened the scoring early in the second period by stripping Jesperi Kotkaniemi of the puck and beating Dustin Tokarski on a breakaway. With 30 seconds left in the period, Dmitry Orlov uncorked a one-timer from the right dot past Jake Allen to finally get the Canes on the board. The Devils needed 65 seconds to regain the lead in the third period after Jesper Bratt set up Ondrej Palat in front of the net. Sebastian Aho's response only took 51 seconds as his shot leaked through Allen. From there, it was all Carolina. Jackson Blake redirected Kotkaniemi's shot on the power play to take their first lead of the night, followed by Jack Roslovic making it 4-2 just 86 seconds later. Roslovic added the empty-net goal late to complete the 5-2 win. It was a v...

For the final time in the regular season, the Carolina Hurricanes faced the New Jersey Devils. After the Devils won on home ice on Friday, the Canes wanted a little bit of revenge. Brett Pesce finally made his return to Raleigh as a Devil after missing the first meeting of the season. The backups took the net for both teams after the starters dueled at The Rock. With both teams possibly tired from last night's game and traveling, who knows what time of game we'd get on Saturday night in Raleighwood.  Scoring Summary 1st Period None 2nd Period NJD (2:56)- Paul Cotter (8) (unassisted) CAR (19:30)- Dmitry Orlov (4) (Sean Walker (5) & Seth Jarvis (13)) 3rd Period NJD (1:05)- Ondrej Palat (8) (Jesper Bratt (33) & Dougie Hamilton (19)) CAR (1:56)- Sebastian Aho (12) (Jack Roslovic (8)) CAR (10:43)- Jackson Blake (8) PP (Jesperi Kotkaniemi (11) & Brent Burns (9)) CAR (12:06)- Jack Roslovic (15) (Seth Jarvis (14) & Sean Walker (6)) CAR (16:38)- Jack Roslovic (16) EN (Se...

With Christmas behind us, the Hurricanes and the Devils locked horns for the first game of a back-to-back in New Jersey on Friday night. The Devils, perched atop the division, tried to add separation from the Canes, while the visitors tried to rebound from a tough loss in Nashville before the break. With these two set to meet again on Saturday, both teams sent their starters out for the front end, trying to gain the early advantage for the weekend set.  Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (10:03)- Eric Robinson (9) (Jackson Blake (4) & Brent Burns (8)) NJD (16:12)- Ondrej Palat (7) (Jonathan Kovacevic (10) Jonas Siegenthaler (7)) NJD (16:54)- Nico Hischier (18) (Stefan Noesen (10) & Luke Hughes (14)) 2nd Period CAR (0:22)- Brent Burns (3) (Jack Roslovic (6)) NJD (4:15)- Luke Hughes (3) (Brett Pesce (3) & Jesper Bratt (32)) NJD (8:47)- Dawson Mercer (9) (Jack Hughes (31) & Brendan Dillon (9)) 3rd Period None My Thoughts If you're like me, you needed the three days since M...

The Carolina Hurricanes went into the Christmas break on the wrong side of a 5-2 game against the Nashville Predators. Dustin Tokarski played well, but the group in front of him couldn't follow up their victory the afternoon before in New York. Steven Stamkos scored in the first period and Jonathan Marchessault added to the lead in the second. Ryan O'Reilly ended the Canes' perfect month on the penalty kill in the first minute of the third period before Mark Jankowski made it 4-0 by snapping a shot less than three minutes in. The Canes didn't go down without a fight. The Staal line broke the shutout after the captain scored at the side of the net. Sebastian Aho extended his point streak to five games 40 seconds later by finishing a 2-on-1 with Seth Jarvis to pull with two. Juuse Saros didn't allow anything beyond that as Marchessault scored into the empty net to win it, 5-2.  The Opponent: New Jersey Devils (23-11-3, 49 Points- 1st in the Metropolitan Division) Last...

The final game before Christmas is upon us as the Hurricanes try to follow up their win yesterday afternoon with a win in Nashville against the underperforming Predators. Pyotr Kochetkov was fantastic, but Dustin Tokarski took the start for the Canes after a solid debut last weekend against Columbus. With Nashville's big offseason signings not quite living up to their potential, the Canes hoped to enter the break with Christmas cheer instead of coal in their stockings.  Scoring Summary 1st Period NSH (13:34)- Steven Stamkos (10) (Filip Forsberg (18)) 2nd Period NSH (11:45)- Jonathan Marchessault (11) (Tommy Novak (4) & Luke Evangelista (10)) 3rd Period NSH (0:30)- Ryan O'Reilly () PP (Filip Forsberg (19) & Jonathan Marchessault (12)) NSH (2:52)- Mark Jankowski (2) (Colton Sissions (1)) CAR (4:37)- Jordan Staal (4) (Jordan Martinook (9) & William Carrier (5)) CAR (5:17)- Sebastian Aho (11) (Seth Jarvis (12) & Jack Roslovic (6)) NSH (16:48)- Jonathan Marchessault ...

In their penultimate game before Christmas, the Carolina Hurricanes were at Madison Square Garden to face the New York Rangers. The start wasn't great as Jimmy Vesey scored 17 seconds into the game to get New York ahead early. Fortunately, that's all the joy the Rangers would get during this festive time of the year. Pyotr Kochetkov stood on business to keep his team in the fight before they were rewarded with a pair of goals in the second period. William Carrier won a battle in the crease to get to a loose puck, sliding it past Igor Shesterkin after Jaccob Slavin's initial shot hit the post. Jack Roslovic, missing some teeth after taking a high stick from Alexis Lafreniere, put the Canes in front by tipping home Dmitry Orlov's pass at the backdoor. Both goalies did an excellent job of keeping the game at 2-1 but it was the Canes who would win the battle, getting the empty-net goal from Sebastian Aho to ice a 3-1 victory. Along with 22 saves in the net, Kochetkog finish...

It was a Sunday matinee for the Hurricanes as they traveled to New York for their second meeting with the Rangers. The Canes had their two-game winning streak ended on Friday night but looked to recover against a Rangers team struggling to string wins together. With tensions mounting and players already being moved, New York was looking to find some stability against a division opponent. With both teams playing the first half of a back-to-back, they sent their top goalies into battle in a clash at Madison Square Garden. Scoring Summary 1st Period NYR (0:17)- Jimmy Vesey (3) (Chad Ruhwedel (1) & Adam Edstrom (2)) 2nd Period CAR (9:14)- William Carrier (4) (Jaccob Slavin (9) & Jordan Staal (10)) CAR (14:32)- Jack Roslovic (14) PP (Dmitry Orlov (13) & Pyotr Kochetkov (2)) 3rd Period CAR (18:18)- Sebastian Aho (10) EN (Andrei Svechnikov (14) & Pyotr Kochetkov (3)) My Thoughts The Hurricanes didn't inspire much confidence with how they started, allowing a goal 17 seconds...

The Carolina Hurricanes were on the wrong side of a 3-1 decision against the Washington Capitals on Friday night. They didn't play a bad game, but the Capitals' timely goals and stops put the Canes in a tough spot. In the final minute of the first period, Aliaksei Protas redirected Andrew Maniapane's shot past Pyotr Kochetkov to steal the lead going into the first intermission. Kochetkov and Charlie Lindgren traded incredible stops midway through the second period, though Lindgren's windmill stop earned all the headlines after the game. Jakub Vrana extended the lead with less than four minutes left in the middle frame, allowing Washington to breathe a little. Connor McMichael pretty much put the game away with his team-leading 16th goal in the final minute of the second. Seth Jarvis broke the shutout bid midway through the third, but that's all they'd get. Lindgren and the Capitals earned two big points to put space between them and the Canes.  The Opponent: New...

It's a battle between two of the division's finest as the Hurricanes are welcomed to the nation's capital by the Washington Capitals. The Canes are riding back-to-back victories to close a four-game homestand on Sunday and Tuesday, beating the Blue Jackets and Islanders by a combined 8-1. Pyotr Kochetkov is coming off a 32-save shutout, looking to silence a lethal Washington club. The Capitals are without Alex Ovechkin, though the captain's return should come shortly after Christmas. With two huge points on the line, this will be a fun one. Scoring Summary 1st Period WSH (19:12)- Aliaksei Protas (12) (Andrew Mangiapane (5) & Matt Roy (7)) 2nd Period WSH (16:11)- Jakub Vrana (5) (Hendrix Lapierre (7) & Taylor Raddysh (11)) WSH (19:33)- Connor McMichael (16) (Martin Fehervary (7) & Pierre-Luc Dubois (18)) 3rd Period CAR (10:22)- Seth Jarvis (9) (Sebastian Aho (26) & Brent Burns (7)) My Thoughts We were treated to a very fun goalie duel for most of the nigh...

The Carolina Hurricanes completed their four-game homestand by blanking the New York Islanders on Tuesday night. Pyotr Kochetkov put together his best start of the season in the victory, stopping all 32 shots he faced to post his first shutout. The Canes' offense was clicking early, getting a power-play goal from Andrei Svechnikov and another big goal from Jordan Martinook three minutes later. The Islanders held the Canes without a shot for the remainder of the period, but Kochetkov was sharp to maintain the 2-0 lead. Midway through the second period, Tyson Jost stepped up to the plate and batted a rebound out of mid-air to make it 3-0 and seemingly deflate the Islanders' hopes. For good measure, Sebastian Aho finished a 2-on-1 pass from Eric Robinson with 15.1 seconds left in the middle frame to send the Canes into the intermission with a four-goal lead. The Canes would maintain their lead through the third period, helping Kochetkov secure the shutout and send the Caniacs home...

After getting the job done against the Blue Jackets on Sunday, the Hurricanes tried to make it two in a row by beating the New York Islanders on Tuesday. The Islanders got the better of the Canes on Long Island ten days ago, using a four-goal second period. With the Islanders getting some of their injured players back into the lineup, the Canes faced an even tougher task. With Pyotr Kochetkov back in the net, they sought to replicate Sunday's performance against another division foe. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (5:47)- Andrei Svecbnikov (12) PP (Sebastian Aho (24) & Shayne Gostisbehere (20)) CAR (8:21)- Jordan Martinook (8) (Jordan Staal (9)) 2nd Period CAR (11:13)- Tyson Jost (2) (Shayne Gostisbehere (21) & Jack Roslovic (5)) CAR (19:44)- Sebastian Aho (9) (Eric Robinson (10) & Jaccob Slavin (8)) 3rd Period None My Thoughts There is so much that could've gone wrong tonight. Between this being a nationally televised game and the Islanders getting Mathew Barzal an...

Sunday night's victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets was more of what we expect to see from the Carolina Hurricanes on a nightly basis. It was a far cry from some of the tougher comebacks and tight losses we've seen in recent games. The penalty kill was the catalyst to open the scoring, getting a short-handed marker from Sebastian Aho on a 2-on-1 with Seth Jarvis. William Carrier extended the lead in the final minute of the period, burying Jordan Staal's pass from behind the net to make it 2-0 going into the first intermission. Columbus stuck around, getting one back late in the second period on Dmitri Voronkov's chance in the slot. Jordan Martinook promptly responded by redirecting Staal's drive from the point, which was upheld after a challenge for goalie interference. The Canes thought they had another one when Jack Roslovic scored on the ensuing power play, but another challenge by the Blue Jackets proved successful as Tyson Jost was called for a hand pass. Ins...

After a disappointing result against the Ottawa Senators on Friday night, the Hurricanes sought better results with the Columbus Blue Jackets in town. Dustin Tokarski got the call in the net for the Canes, making his first NHL start in two seasons against a Columbus team playing the second half of a back-to-back. The Canes were shut out on Friday by Linus Ullmark, causing many to wonder where the offense has gone. Against a potentially tired Columbus, the Canes need a hot start to prevent another losing effort. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (8:28)- Sebastian Aho (8) SH (Seth Jarvis (11)) CAR (19:08)- William Carrier (3) (Jordan Staal (7) & Jordan Martinook (8)) 2nd Period CBJ (15:52)- Dmitri Voronkov (8) (Kirill Marchenko (18) & Ivan Provorov (9)) CAR (17:16)- Jordan Martinook (7) (Jordan Staal (8) & Dmitry Orlov (12)) 3rd Period CAR (6:19)- Jesperi Kotkaniemi (5) (Martin Necas (30) & Sean Walker (4)) My Thoughts The Canes had a 3-1 lead late in the second period when ...

The Carolina Hurricanes went quietly into the night on Friday at the hands of the Ottawa Senators. In front of their fans on Pride Night, the Canes fell 3-0. The teams were scoreless after the first period, featuring excellent goaltending from Pyotr Kochetkov and Linus Ullmark. Shane Pinto would benefit from a Canes turnover, scoring in the slot early in the second period to break the deadlock. Kochetkov did his best to keep his group in the game, making a pair of crucial stops on Ottawa's power play to keep it 1-0 going into the third period. The kill came up big again late in the third, but Nick Jensen scored shortly after the power play to put Ottawa ahead for good. The Canes couldn't generate any good scoring chances once Kochetkov was on the bench, allowing Pinto to score his second goal of the night into the empty net. Pinto, Jensen, Michael Amadio, and Nick Cousins were the only players to find the scoresheet, picking up two points each, and Ullmark made 32 stops to ston...

The Carolina Hurricanes welcomed their second visitor during this four-game homestand on Friday night. The Ottawa Senators were making their second journey to Raleigh in the last month, being served a 4-0 shutout by Spencer Martin and the Canes then. This time, they hoped for better luck as the Canes tried to string another win together. With a packed barn in Raleigh on Friday, myself included, the Caniacs were hoping for magic. Spoiler alert, it never came. Scoring Summary 1st Period None 2nd Period OTT (4:04)- Shane Pinto (2) (Michael Amadio (5) & Nick Jensen (11)) 3rd Period OTT (14:45)- Nick Jensen (2) (Nick Cousins (4)) OTT (19:13)- Shane Pinto (3) EN (Nick Cousins (5) & Michael Amadio (6)) My Thoughts I need to start by apologizing to all of the Caniacs out there hoping to see the Hurricanes win tonight. I attended my first game in person in a year and a half tonight, which is likely why they lost. I'll shoulder some of the responsibility because that's the type o...

It took until the final few minutes, but the Carolina Hurricanes got back into the win column on Tuesday night against the San Jose Sharks. The defense accounted for all three goals at even strength. Shayne Gostisbehere started it in the first five minutes, burying a slick pass from William Carrier to get it going. San Jose responded late in the frame after Luke Kunin slid a rebound through Pyotr Kochetkov's pads. Kunin struck again midway through the second, catching Kochetkov leaning after an excellent effort from William Eklund below the goal line. Needing to find a spark, Brent Burns found himself on the right side of a beautiful passing sequence with Martin Necas and Sebastian Aho. Burns tapped home a brilliant Aho pass early in the third period to tie it. Late in the game, Jalen Chatfield was the hero, knocking down a clearing attempt and snapping one past Vitek Vanecek with 2:39 left to give the Canes the 3-2 lead. Kochetkov and the defense bore down and finished the job, ea...

The Hurricanes welcome the young Sharks to Raleigh on Tuesday night, looking to move back in a positive direction amidst four losses in their last five games. The Sharks could be the perfect team to turn the tides against, but let's not sell them short. Led by a good veteran core with incredible young talent, this Sharks team will bite if given the chance. It'll be up to Martin Necas, red-hot Andrei Svechnikov, and the rest of the team to stun the Sharks before they sense blood in the water. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (4:26)- Shayne Gostisbehere (6) (William Carrier (4) & Jack Roslovic (4)) SJS (18:51)- Luke Kunin (7) (Macklin Celebrini (8) & Cody Ceci (8)) 2nd Period SJS (11:46)- Luke Kunin (8) (William Eklund (19)) 3rd Period CAR (4:11)- Brent Burns (2) (Sebastian Aho (23) & Martin Necas (29)) CAR (17:21)- Jalen Chatfield (3) (unassisted) My Thoughts Isn't this what we expected this game to be. The Hurricanes, by all accounts the better team on paper and i...

The Carolina Hurricanes were on the losing side of a tough battle with the New York Islanders on Saturday. The Canes earned the early advantage after Andrei Svechnikov got a friendly bounce off Noah Dobson's stick on the power play to give the Canes the lead late in the first period. Jean-Gabriel Pageau tied it up early in the second, but Svechnikov responded with his second power-play goal of the night to regain the lead. The Islanders owned the second half of the period, getting three goals to take a 4-2 lead by dominating the Canes up and down the ice. Carolina threw everything they could at Ilya Sorokin in the third period, only managing a Jesperi Kotkaniemi goal in the final minute to fall a goal short. Shayne Gostisbehere finished the night with three assists in the loss. The Opponent: San Jose Sharks (10-15-5, 25 Points, 7th in the Pacific Division) The youth movement has officially hit San Jose after selecting Macklin Celebrini with the first pick in June's draft. Along...

SEC- #5 Georgia 22, #2 Texas 19 (OT) There have been times when the Georgia Bulldogs haven't been able to get the job done on the big stage. When Carson Beck went out at the end of the first half, things were looking bleak for Georgia, but their defense persevered. Texas fought back to force overtime, but the Bulldogs came up with a big stop before Trevor Etienne finished the job, clinching a bye. Big Ten- #1 Oregon 45, #3 Penn State 37 Every time Oregon looked like they were pulling away, Penn State would weasel their way back. This game comes down to Dillon Gabriel's start and finish and the Ducks' defense coming up with a huge interception late to seal the deal. The Ducks completed a perfect regular season, gearing up for the playoffs as the #1 team in the country. ACC- #18 Clemson 34, #8 SMU 31 We were seconds away from talking about a completely different game. The Clemson Tigers were in the driver's seat at halftime and heading into the fourth quarter, leading by ...