"(Like the Canes) I Have Nothing Tonight": 2024-25 Regular Season, Game 39: Hurricanes vs. Minnesota Wild

The Hurricanes will play several games at home over the next ten days, beginning on Saturday night to kick off a back-to-back. Their first visitor was the Minnesota Wild, who have been one of the best teams in the Western Conference and the best road team in the league to begin the season. Minus star Kirill Kaprizov and captain Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota tried to spoil the fun in Raleighwood. After ten games on the shelf, the Canes welcomed Jack Drury back to the lineup, bringing the forward group back to Opening Night strength.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

MIN (13:03)- Mats Zuccarello (9) (Marco Rossi (19) & Matt Boldy (19))

2nd Period

MIN (11:30)- Joel Eriksson Ek (6) PP (Mats Zuccarello (15) & Marco Rossi (20))

3rd Period

MIN (9:20)- Matt Boldy (14) (Marco Rossi (21) & Jonas Brodin (11))

MIN (17:14)- Mats Zuccarello (10) EN (Matt Boldy (20) & Marco Rossi (22))

My Thoughts

This was the type of game that made you want to throw your television, laptop, or whatever device you're watching the game on out the window. After playing one of their best games of the season against the Panthers on Thursday, the Canes followed it by playing easily their worst game tonight. For nearly 60 minutes, the Canes were lifeless, playing mind-numbingly bad hockey. Sebastian Aho, Jackson Blake, and Pyotr Kochetkov were the only three who looked like they were doing anything to help the Canes get back into the game. It was a night and day difference that made everyone who watched it frustrated. 

The difference in the game came almost immediately after the puck dropped. Minnesota was on fire for the first 90 seconds, but Joel Eriksson Ek put the Canes on a four-minute power play by high-sticking Seth Jarvis. It was a great chance for Carolina to build some momentum. Instead, it set the tone in the opposite direction. They finished with one shot in four minutes, spending more time chasing the puck than doing anything meaningful. It would be a microcosm for their night as a whole. The power play finished 0-for-4, doing very little positively for the team. That four-minute stretch should've been a sign of things to come. 

If we want to get technical, the Hurricanes really only lost to three players tonight. Marco Rossi, Mats Zuccarello, and Matt Boldy combined for three of the four goals and ten total points. Rossi had a career-high four helpers, while Zuccarello scored twice and had an assist, and Boldy had a goal and two assists. Filip Gustavsson was perfect but only had to make 21 stops, most of which weren't incredibly difficult. It was one line that gave the Canes an issue. That has been a problem against Minnesota in the past, but Kirill Kaprizov is usually at the center of it. The day Zuccarello retires will be a day Canes fans rejoice. In 40 games against the Canes, he has 11 goals and 37 points. 

Instead of wasting time and energy on this game, I want to ask a question. Why are the boards designed to have one of the doors in each offensive zone? For those wondering why I'm pondering this obvious design flaw, the Canes had their only "goal" of the game wiped off the board because Jackson Blake was still on the ice while trying to make a change as the Canes pushed the puck deep. Jalen Chatfield eventually scored with some help from Declan Chisholm's back, but it was quickly challenged and overturned for offside. I don't blame Blake for the overturned goal, nor do I have a qualm about it being overturned because the right call was made. However, why even allow it to be a possibility. Is there not a way to have two doors without one being in the offensive zone? Should it matter if the player changing isn't actively part of the play? Does it really matter? Probably not. It's just something I was wondering about throughout the third period because the Canes didn't give me much to work with tonight.

When We Meet Again- The Canes are expected to travel to Minnesota in just over a month on February 6th. I say "expected" because I'm now worried that they won't show up, much like tonight on home ice. 

The Road Ahead- It's going to get any easier for the Hurricanes as they return to the ice tomorrow night against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Next week, they'll play in Tampa Bay on Tuesday before another back-to-back against Toronto and Vancouver on Thursday and Friday. I would expect to see Dustin Tokarski tomorrow night before Pyotr Kochetkov gets Tampa Bay and Toronto.