"Make-up Misfortune": 2024-25 Regular Season, Game 41: Hurricanes at Tampa Bay Lightning

For the second time this season, the Hurricanes battled the Lightning. This game was originally set for the night after they opened their seasons against one another in Raleigh, but Hurricane Milton changed their plans. They've had nearly three months apart, but I'm anticipating some bad blood between these two powers in the Eastern Conference. The Bolts are on a four-game skid after losing all three games during their visit to California. With a high-powered offense backed by a lethal power play, this could be a tough visit to Florida.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

TBL (16:38)- Brandon Hagel (18) (Darren Raddysh (12))

2nd Period

CAR (6:31)- Andrei Svechnikov (13) (Jordan Staal (13))

TBL (9:17)- Nick Paul (10) PP (Darren Raddysh (13) & Connor Geekie (6))

3rd Period

CAR (9:56)- Jordan Staal (5) (Brent Burns (10))

TBL (19:08)- Brayden Point (24) (Nikita Kucherov (39) & Jake Guentzel (19))

My Thoughts

Having lived through the dark days of 2010-2018, my body has been conditioned to withstand losses like this. However, every now and then, there's a loss that leaves you at a loss for words in the immediate aftermath. Game 6 against the Rangers was the last time I experienced it and while this game wasn't on that level, it left me looking deep within to find exactly what I wanted to say. "Deflating" was the only adjective I could find. I don't mean it in a way that indicates that the season is lost or anything too drastic. The Canes had at least one point waiting for them at the end of regulation as the game entered the final minute. I've never advocated playing for one point, but I wouldn't have hated it tonight. Instead, they're heading home with another regulation loss. 

I won't lie and say that the Hurricanes did a good job of containing Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point tonight. At best, they did enough to prevent their constant pressure from becoming an issue for 59 minutes. The problem is that it's a 60-minute game. In that final minute, the two finally broke through the Canes, stealing two points in the process. Point scored the goal, set up by an incredible pass from Kucherov. Both finished with five shots on goal, but no shot was more important than the one that won it.

If you're not a fan of silver linings, consider this your jumping-off point because I genuinely didn't hate the Canes' game tonight. In fact, I liked it a lot. Once again, they started slowly, but their goalie was there to pick up the slack. You knew Pyotr Kochetkov was in the zone when he pulled out the poke check against Point early in the first period. It goes down as a loss in the record book, but I think Kochetkov played an overall better game than Andrei Vasilevskiy. The future Hall-of-Famer allowed a soft goal tonight, while Kochetkov made the Bolts earn all three of their goals. Each faced a comparable number of shots. I think the game really boils down to one bounce on the power play in the second period, giving Tampa the lead, again. Kochetkov had no chance of stopping it. There truly is something about Kochetkov facing elite Russian netminders. 

I have to imagine that scoring tonight was a huge monkey off Andrei Svechnikov's back. After nine games of being snake-bitten, he finally got his bounce tonight on a seemingly innocent shot. They don't how. All that matters is that it went into the net. I had a feeling Svechnikov would get one after playing a good game against the Penguins on Sunday. He had three shots tonight and his softest was the one that ended his drought. His line was the team's best tonight with Svechnikov leading the charge. Hopefully, this is a sign of good things to come.

When We Meet Again- The final meeting of the season will be in Raleigh on March 11th. The Bolts will go for the season sweep, while the Canes will try to get a small measure of revenge.

#RaiseUp First Star of the Game- Jordan Staal

The captain's line was the only trio to find the scoresheet tonight. Jordan Staal was responsible for both goals. The common thread in both goals was Staal winning a draw. On the first one, Andrei Svechnikov swooped in to take the puck before getting his backhander into the net. On the second goal, Staal won it to Burns before making his way to the front of the net and getting a redirection off his skate. His line combined for ten shots tonight, accounting for nearly 1/3 of the shots for the team.

The Road Ahead- Four of the next five games will come within the friendly confines of the Lenovo Center, including a three-game homestand that kicks off on Thursday night. The Toronto Maple Leafs will be the first visitors, followed by the Vancouver Canucks the following night. The Anaheim Ducks will finish the homestand on Sunday for Eric Staal's jersey retirement. A trip to Buffalo on Wednesday breaks up the fun before returning to host the Vegas Golden Knights next Friday night.