"Stars and Snipes": 2024-25 Regular Season, Game 48: Hurricanes at Dallas Stars

For one of the toughest back-to-backs of the season, the Hurricanes flew from Chicago to Dallas to face the Stars on national television. The Canes barely made it out of Chicago with two points, getting a late goal from the captain and the overtime winner from Sebastian Aho to complete the 4-3 comeback victory. Against one of the best teams in the West, the Canes would need a big start from Pyotr Kochetkov and a spirited effort from the 18 in front of him to complete the back-to-back with four points. 

Scoring Summary

1st Period

None

2nd Period

CAR (17:07)- Jesperi Kotkaniemi (8) (Martin Necas (37))

3rd Period

DAL (10:11)- Thomas Harley (7) (Wyatt Johnston (26) & Miro Heiskanen (17))

CAR (10:35)- Jesperi Kotkaniemi (9) (Sean Walker (8) & Martin Necas (38)

My Thoughts

The sign of a good team is being able to win under any circumstance. No matter how good or bad you play on a given night, the ability to adapt to any style and earn two points is a great sign. On Monday night, the Canes didn't play their best game. They fell behind and had to climb out of a hole. Tonight, against a far superior team during the second half of a back-to-back after travel, the Hurricanes played a tradition Carolina Hurricanes game. They kept the chances to a minimum, allowed just one goal, and came out on top. It doesn't matter how you slice it. The Canes won two games on the road on consecutive nights in very different ways. Four points is four points. 

Before the game, I said the Canes' chances of winning would hinge on Pyotr Kochetkov being better than Jake Oettinger. Both goalies were excellent, but Kochetkov won the battle. While he made more saves than Oettinger on paper, the quality of his stops can't be undersold, especially during the second period. Three stops truly stood out from the middle frame. First, he made an attacking save on Jamie Benn from just inside the right dot. Second, he went stride for stride with Colin Blackwell to shut down a short-handed breakaway. Third, he made an unreal glove stop on Jason Robertson from the same spot Benn shot from. He got a little help from the iron, too, so some luck was required. Still, it was a stellar 22-save performance to earn his team the win. 

The other big story from the game was Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who accounted for both Carolina goals. Eric Robinson and Martin Necas certainly did their part, too. Robinson was responsible for creating the turnover, allowing Necas to find Kotkaniemi for his late second period snipe to break the deadlock. On the second goal, he was in the right place at the right time to redirect Sean Walker's rebound off his skate. Frankly, it doesn't matter how he's getting them, so long as they're going in the net. With the JT Miller rumors flying around, Kotkaniemi's name has come up a lot. Maybe he's heard it and taken it personally because he has played two very solid games in a row. 

Tuesday's win gives the Canes three straight for the first time in two months. They also won consecutive road games for the first time since their four straight at the end of the State Fair trip in October. They are starting to string wins and good performances together, giving them a slight cushion over the New Jersey Devils for second in the division. The Canes are now three points up with a game in hand, though the Capitals aren't doing them any favors as they continue to win, too. They were never in a bad place in the standings, but now it feels like they're being rewarded. In Rod Brind'Amour's 500th game as a coach, the team played exactly how we expect them to.

#RaiseUp First Star of the Game- Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Three goals in two games for a guy who hasn't been scoring a lot is a very positive sign. This trip has been wonderful for Jesperi Kotkaniemi's entire line, but he's the one benefitting the most from it. They were very different goals, showcasing his shot on the first and winning a battle in front of the net to position himself for the game-winner. I hope this is a sign of things to come for Kotkaniemi and his linemates.

The Road Ahead- The Hurricanes have four games left on the schedule in January. They'll return home for Thursday night's final tilt with the Blue Jackets before heading to New York to face the Islanders on Saturday and the Rangers on Tuesday. To finish the month, the Canes will host the Blackhawks, completing their season series ten days after winning in Chicago.