"Long Faces on the Island": 2024-25 Regular Season, Game 27: Hurricanes at New York Islanders

The Hurricanes finished the first week of December on Long Island, battling the New York Islanders for the first time since the Canes sent them packing for the summer over seven months ago. After getting back on track with a 5-3 win over the Avalanche on Thursday, Carolina hoped to make life tough for a struggling Islanders team. Without several top scorers, including Mathew Barzal, New York has had a hard time finding goals. However, there is still plenty of firepower remaining in the lineup with a history of success against the Hurricanes. 

Scoring Summary
1st Period
CAR (15:43)- Andrei Svechnikov (10) PP (Sebastian Aho (22) & Shayne Gostisbehere (17))
2nd Period
NYI (6:05)- Jean-Gabriel Pageau (6) (Noah Dobson (11) & Max Tsyplakov (11))
CAR (9:23)- Andrei Svechnikov (11) PP (Seth Jarvis (10) & Shayne Gostisbehere (18))
NYI (10:06)- Oliver Wahlstrom (2) (unassisted)
NYI (16:16)- Max Tsyplakov (5) (Jean-Gabriel Pageau (6) & Bo Horvat (14))
NYI (18:55)- Bo Horvat (6) (Jean-Gabriel Pageau (7))
3rd Period
CAR (19:11)- Jesperi Kotkaniemi (4) (Shayne Gostisbehere (19) & Martin Necas (28))

My Thoughts
Before the game, I talked about the dangers of allowing certain players to dictate the game offensively for the Islanders. While only one of those four that I highlighted made a true impact, it was Bo Horvat and his linemates, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Maxim Tsyplakov who carried the load. Pageau finished with a goal and two assists, while Horvat and Tsyplakov had a goal and an assist each. They almost single-handedly beat the Hurricanes tonight. Honestly, they only dominated one period, but it was more than enough. In the third period, it was Ilya Sorokin who finished the job. The Canes outshot the Islanders 19-2 during the final 20 minutes while down 4-2. They managed just one goal in the final minute. Sorokin came up with huge stops to preserve the win, none bigger than his incredible stop on Martin Necas during the 4-on-4.

It might've been in defeat, but Andrei Svechnikov has officially arrived this season. He hadn't been playing terribly, though there was a stretch when it looked like he couldn't buy a thing. Over the last five periods, Svechnikov has three goals and three assists, helping him reach double-digit goals, again. Neither goal tonight was flashy, coming on the power play courtesy of a friendly bounce and perfect positioning in front of the net. Still, he's getting the bounces that haven't seemed to be going his way much this season. The Russian sniper is playing at a pace similar to his output in 2021-22 (69 points in 78 games), the first time he hit 30 goals in a season.

Tonight was the first time I asked myself whether the Hurricanes are too reliant on their power play to get themselves going. Over their last nine games, the Canes have scored 29 goals. Of those 29 goals, 12 of them have been on the power play. It's great that they are converting on the power play. However, over the last week, it has come at the expense of their 5-on-5 play. Tonight, the Canes scored twice on the power play but didn't generate anything substantial at even strength until the third period, and they still didn't score. They have lacked balance, leaving them overly reliant on a group of five guys to get them moving.

With tonight's loss, the Canes have lost four of their last five in regulation and six of their last nine overall. They're five points back of Washington at the top of the division and three back of New Jersey for home ice in the first round. It's still early December, so there's no reason to think this rut will continue for a long time, but I can sense the anxiety from the Caniacs. Recent results are trumping the incredible start and win streak the team experienced. The defense has allowed 23 goals in five games. The Canes have looked too porous, which isn't something we're used to with this group. Some extra time between Tuesday's game should allow the team to settle back in.

When We Meet Again- The Islanders will be in Raleigh in a week and a half as the Hurricanes close their four-game homestand. The Canes will be back on Long Island in late January before concluding their season series in Raleigh in March.

#RaiseUp First Star of the Game- Andrei Svechnikov
For the second game in a row, Andrei Svechnikov was the best forward on the ice for the Canes. Svechnikov finished with a game-high seven shots as he tried to earn his fourth career hat trick. He'll have to settle for two after recording four points on Thursday. He was one of the few Hurricanes with a + or even +/- for the game, too. 

The Road Ahead- The Hurricanes begin a four-game homestand on Tuesday night against the Ottawa Senators. The Canes shut out the Senators during their visit in November. They'll get two more days between games before hosting the San Jose Sharks on Friday. The homestand will end with the Canes looking to avenge road losses against the Blue Jackets and these Islanders.

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