"Do-Staal": 2024-25 Regular Season, Game 44: Hurricanes vs. Anaheim Ducks

It was a special day for the organization as they welcomed Eric Staal home forever by sending his jersey to the rafters. The Hurricanes' leader in several regular-season offensive categories was set to receive a huge reception before the Canes and the Ducks closed the weekend on the ice. Shayne Gostisbehere returned to the lineup as the Canes slowly started to return to full strength. Meanwhile, the Ducks were playing without their leading scorer during the second half of a back-to-back after getting pumped on Saturday. 

Scoring Summary

1st Period

ANA (9:35)- Jansen Harkins (1) (Nikita Nesterenko (1) & Brian Dumoulin (9))

2nd Period

None

3rd Period

ANA (1:18)- Cutter Gauthier (6) (Jackson LaCombe (11) & Leo Carlsson (8))

CAR (7:48)- Andrei Svechnikov (15) PP (Sebastian Aho (31) & Martin Necas (34))

CAR (19:04)- Seth Jarvis (13) (Martin Necas (35) & Brent Burns (12))

Overtime

ANA (1:52)- Cutter Gauthier (7) (Jackson LaCombe (12) & Frank Vatrano (13))

My Thoughts

A little anecdote, if you'll indulge me. When I was in fourth grade, we had a Student of the Week in my class. I came with a poster-sized paper to fill out with a bunch of questions and other things. One of the questions was about "Favorite Athletes" and one of the names I wrote down was Eric Staal. Having become a hockey fan two years prior when I was eight, Staal was a prominent figure in my childhood and early adolescence. The first jersey I ever got was a road Eric Staal jersey, which I had signed during the fan fest the season after the Canes won the Stanley Cup. To this day, it is in a giant frame in my apartment. This day was a long time coming for the Staal family and the Caniacs who've been here since the beginning of Staal's career. The ceremony was fantastic, highlighting how special a person he is and how incredible a player he was. 

It's just a shame the Hurricanes couldn't get a win for him on his big day. To their credit, the Canes worked back to earn a point before falling in overtime, despite controlling most of the contest. Lukas Dostal was the spoiler, outplaying Pyotr Kochetkov by a large margin. Kochetkov wasn't terrible, but both of Cutter Gauthier's goals were on him. The first was Kochetkov guessing and worrying about a pass that never came. He left the top of the net open for Gauthier to snipe a beautiful shot off the back bar. The overtime winner never got more than an inch off the ice. He left his left pad up, failing to maintain his butterfly as the shot slid under him. Kochetkov did a good job of keeping the group in the game down 2-0, but I'd be lying if I wasn't slightly disappointed in the outcome. 

It has been said a million times that the Hurricanes are never out of a game. In true Carolina fashion, the Canes erased a 2-0 deficit with flair to ensure they earned a point. They did it by relying on their big guys to carry the load. With Shayne Gostisbehere back in the lineup, the power play, technically, scored twice. Sebastian Aho's goal was taken off the board after a challenge for goalie interference, but he responded 23 seconds later by feeding Andrei Svechnikov at the side of the net, giving him points in five straight and goals in three of four. Martin Necas has started scoring with more consistency, adding two helpers to help him reach 50 points. Seth Jarvis scored the tying goal in the final minute. Seeing all four on the scoresheet is a good sign moving forward.

The ending might've been sour, but the three-game homestand was an overwhelming success. They played three very different games during their stay. The Toronto game was wild and featured a lot of scoring. The Vancouver game was a defensive battle that the Canes won by throwing themselves in front of everything. Tonight's game was a thrilling comeback that fell just short in extra time. Five of a possible six points is a good way to get back on track after alternating wins and losses after Christmas. I need good performances next week against opponents in different spots to truly feel like the Hurricanes are back. 

When We Meet Again- The Hurricanes will be in Anaheim in March as part of their late-season California trip, which will include stops in Los Angeles and San Jose. 

#RaiseUp First Star of the Game- Martin Necas

There has been no shortage of concern about Martin Necas' recent play, but I think he's starting to re-find his game. He has six points in the last eight games, which won't jump off the page, though tonight was a good step in the right direction. Necas assisted on both Carolina goals. His assist on the tying goal is what got me excited, looking off Radko Gudas before finding Seth Jarvis along the goal line. He also had a great chance early in the first period that Lukas Dostal robbed with his blocker. Necas' recent play has been encouraging. Hopefully, we'll see it more consistently.

The Road Ahead- The Canes have a light week ahead, featuring just two games. They'll start on the road against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night before returning home to face the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. They won't play next weekend but will return for a back-to-back on the road against Chicago and Dallas the week after.