Thoughts From My Couch

We've arrived at the first elimination game of the series as the Canes tried to finish the Devils in five games on Tuesday night. In front of the home crowd, the group sought to end the Devils' season, much like they did two seasons ago. New Jersey continues to fight through the injury bug on defense, but the biggest injury of the series might've been to Frederik Andersen after being run by Timo Meier in Game 4. With Pyotr Kochetkov taking over in the net, he had a chance to earn his second postseason victory. Scoring Summary 1st Period NJD (3:46)- Dawson Mercer (2) (Brett Pesce (2)) NJD (5:31)- Timo Meier (2) (Brett Pesce (3)) NJD (9:55)- Stefan Noesen (1) (Simon Nemec (1) & Dougie Hamilton (2)) 2nd Period CAR (1:46)- Taylor Hall (1) (Logan Stankoven (1) & Jaccob Slavin (2)) CAR (4:01)- Jackson Blake (1) (Mark Jankowski (1)) CAR (5:40)- Andrei Svechnikov (5) (Dmitry Orlov (2) & Sebastian Aho (5)) NJD (7:26)- Nico Hischier (4) (Paul Cotter (1) & Stefan Noese...

It was a valiant effort from the team to force overtime in Game 3, but the Carolina Hurricanes failed to grab a stranglehold on the series with a 2OT loss to the Devils on Friday night. The power play struck twice in the third period to gain traction, which is about the only good thing for the team, outside of Frederik Andersen's performance. The Devils dominated for over 22 minutes of overtime, eventually winning early in the fifth period. With another chance for their third win, the Canes hoped to capitalize on another injury to New Jersey's defense. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (0:52)- Andrei Svechnikov (2) (Brent Burns (1) & Jackson Blake (2)) CAR (9:47)- Jaccob Slavin (1) (unassisted) 2nd Period CAR (0:42)- Andrei Svechnikov (3) PP (Seth Jarvis (2) & Sebastian Aho (3)) NJD (2:45)- Nico Hischier (3) (Ondrej Palat (2) & Timo Meier (2)) NJD (7:34)- Timo Meier (1) (unassisted) 3rd Period CAR (14:14)- Brent Burns (1) (unassisted) CAR (16:43)- Andrei Svechnikov (4)...

With the Hurricanes doing their job at home in Games 1 and 2, it's time to head north for two more in Newark. In front of their fans, the Devils were sure to get a boost as they tried to work back into the series. They'd have a great chance against one of the worst road teams in the league. The Devils remained without Luke Hughes or Brendan Dillon for the night, but Jonas Siegenthaler returned after nearly three months on the shelf. Frederik Andersen and Jacob Markstrom battled for the third straight game, with Andersen hoping to replicate his work on the road. Scoring Summary 1st Period NJD (16:11)- Nico Hischier (2) (Timo Meier (1) & Ondrej Palat (1)) 2nd Period None 3rd Period NJD (1:20)- Dawson Mercer (1) (Jesper Bratt (2) & Brett Pesce (2)) CAR (6:11)- Seth Jarvis (2) PP (Sebastian Aho (2) & Shayne Gostisbehere (1)) CAR (12:20) Sebastian Aho (1) PP (Andrei Svechnikov (1)) Overtime None 2nd Overtime NJD (2:36)- Simon Nemec (1) (unassisted) My Thoughts During the...

The Carolina Hurricanes tried to defend home ice once again after dominating Game 1 on Easter Sunday. The group got off to a great start and only got better from there. Big performances from almost every line contributed to the victory, but Frederik Andersen was the major standout, stopping 23 shots in a 4-1 win. With the Devils' injury troubles rearing their ugly head once again, they'd play Game 2 without Luke Hughes and Brendan Dillon on defense, making their quest to even the series that much tougher. Scoring Summary 1st Period NJD (3:51)- Jesper Bratt (1) (Erik Haula (1) & Dougie Hamilton (1)) 2nd Period CAR (2:57)- Shayne Gostisbehere (1) (Jackson Blake (1) & Sebastian Aho (1)) CAR (5:54)- Jordan Martinook (1) SH (Dmitry Orlov (1)) 3rd Period CAR (19:23)- Seth Jarvis (1) EN (Jordan Martinook (2)) My Thoughts As everyone expected, the Devils weren't going to let their Game 1 loss be the end of the series. They came out of the gates tonight on a mission. That mi...

Playoff hockey is back in Raleigh as the Carolina Hurricanes began their race to the top of the mountain in the first round against the New Jersey Devils. With home ice advantage to begin the series, the Canes tried bringing their home success during the regular season with them into the postseason by setting the tone in Game 1. While the Devils might have the fewest points of the 16 playoff teams this season, their firepower isn't anything to underestimate as division rivals squared off. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (2:24)- Jalen Chatfield (1) (Eric Robinson (1) & Jack Roslovic (1)) 2nd Period CAR (6:37)- Logan Stankoven (1) (Jordan Martinook (1) & Jaccob Slavin (1)) CAR (13:08)- Logan Stankoven (2) PP (Taylor Hall (1) & Jesperi Kotkaniemi (1)) NJD (18:51)- Nico Hischier (1) (Jesper Bratt (1) & Brett Pesce (1)) 3rd Period CAR (17:32)- Andrei Svechnikov (1) EN (Taylor Hall (2)) My Thoughts Whether you're at the arena or watching from home, there is no atmosphe...

It's time for the race to the Stanley Cup! The Carolina Hurricanes finished second in the Metropolitan Division, amassing 99 points to fall 12 points behind the Washington Capitals for the division crown. Still, they have home ice for the opening round against the division's third-place finisher, the New Jersey Devils. Despite dropping seven of their final eight (1-6-1), the Canes ended comfortably in second, finishing ten points ahead of the Devils. The Canes were led this season by Sebastian Aho (45 assists, 74 points), Seth Jarvis (32 goals), and Jaccob Slavin (league-best 83.6% PK). They were a Top 10 offense and defense during the regular season, ending the year ninth in goals per game and tenth in goals allowed per game. Meanwhile, the Devils returned to the playoffs after injuries held them back in 2023-24. Jesper Bratt paced the group with 88 points, while captain Nico Hischier set a career high with 35 goals. However, they will be without Jack Hughes and Jonas Siegenth...

Eastern Conference M1. Washington Capitals vs. WC2. Montreal Canadiens Season Series- The Capitals won two of the three meetings this season, earning five of six possible points. Cole Caufield scored a goal in all three meetings (3-2-5), and Nick Suzuki (2-2-4) and Lane Hutson (4A) had at least a point in all three. Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren each made two appearances, while Montreal used a different goalie for each encounter. Postseason History- This is the second meeting in the playoffs between the Capitals and the Canadiens. Their only other battle was in the first round in 2010. The President's Trophy-winning Capitals blew a 3-1 series lead, falling in seven games despite five goals and ten points from Alex Ovechkin. What I'm Watching- Russians representing two generations will meet in this series. Obviously, Alex Ovechkin's career speaks for itself as the newly minted all-time greatest goal scorer. His playoff pedigree isn't talked about as much, though he...

For the final time during the regular season, the Carolina Hurricanes took the ice. With nothing to play for tonight, this was simply a "cross our fingers and hope nothing terrible happens"-type of game for the fans at home and the coaching staff behind the bench. The Canes rolled a similar lineup from Wednesday's loss in Montreal, while Ottawa opted for a lineup mirroring their likely Game 1 matchup with the Maple Leafs on Sunday. It was a curious move from Travis Green, but maybe there was some method to the madness. Andersen vs. Ullmark in the net. 1st Period SBA is leveled Ghost goes down to deny a 2-on-1 Batherson hooks Hall (1:47) Roslovic's shot is absorbed Roslovic's one-timer is stopped Roslovic is stopped x3 Roslovic is called for hooking after being stopped again (2:41) (Sens' PK- 1-for-1 tonight) Nadeau's backhand is stopped (that was fancy) Zetterlund is blockered away Orlov's chance is caught The Canes kill it (1-for-1 tonight) KK's r...

The Carolina Hurricanes lost the first half of their season-ending back-to-back on Wednesday night, falling 4-2 to the Montreal Canadiens. Kaiden Guhle opened the scoring less than four minutes in, getting his shot through a screened Pyotr Kochetkov to get the Canadiens off to a quick start. Taylor Hall knotted the game midway through the period, sending a spinning chance past Samuel Montemeault. The deadlock remained until late in the second period, when Montreal finally pulled ahead for good. Nick Suzuki snapped a shot without a soul around him under Kochetkov's blocker to restore Montreal's lead. Two minutes later, Guhle scored again, doubling Montreal's lead right before the break. Tyson Jost shrank the deficit late in the third, popping home a loose puck after Bradly Nadeau's redirection got lost behind Montembeault, but Jake Evans' empty-net goal sealed the victory. With their win, Montreal claimed the final Wild Card spot, making every game tonight completely...

With the last two games meaning absolutely nothing to the Hurricanes, they decided to give many of their starters the night off. The group skated 11/7 this morning during their morning skate, so all signs pointed to the NHL debuts of Skylar Brind'Amour and Domenick Fensore. This was welcome news to the Canadiens, who need a point to clinch a playoff spot, while Columbus fans were probably very upset. The Canes' only goal during these next two games is to not get hurt. Scoring Summary 1st Period MTL (3:50)- Kaiden Guhle (5) (Juraj Slafkovsky (33) & Nick Suzuki (59)) CAR (9:56)- Taylor Hall (18) (Sean Walker (11) & Jesperi Kotkaniemi (21)) 2nd Period MTL (16:22)- Nick Suzuki (30) (Alexandre Carrier (22)) MTL (18:48)- Kaiden Guhle (6) (Cole Caufield (33) & Lane Hutson (60)) 3rd Period CAR (14:10)- Tyson Jost (3) (Bradly Nadeau (1) & Dmitry Orlov (22)) MTL (18:05)- Jake Evans (13) EN (unassisted) My Thoughts The writing was on the wall for the Canadiens to clinch a ...

The Carolina Hurricanes concluded their home schedule on Sunday night, dropping the second half of a back-to-back to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canes controlled the first period, but Pontus Holmberg scored with 16.5 seconds left in the frame to steal the lead. The Core 4 took over from there. Auston Matthews buried a one-timer midway through the second to double the lead before William Nylander redirected a pass 1:25 into the third to make it 3-0. Sebastian Aho broke the shutout on the power play in the third, finishing Seth Jarvis's cross-seam feed for his 29th of the season. John Tavares put the game away late in the period to seal a 4-1 victory for the Leafs. All four Core 4 members found the scoresheet, while Morgan Rielly (3A) and Max Domi (2A) had multi-point nights.  The Opponent: Montreal Canadiens (39-31-11, 89 Points- 5th in the Atlantic Division/WC2) Last Meeting: The Canadiens visited Raleigh in late March for the second meeting of the season. Josh Anderson scored 23 ...

The Hurricanes played their final home game of the regular season on Sunday night, completing a back-to-back against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both teams played on Saturday, and both were victorious in different ways. The Canes controlled the Rangers, while the Maple Leafs scratched out a 1-0 overtime victory over the Canadiens. While the Canes are playing for very little, the Maple Leafs still have division title aspirations that can be realized today with a win and a Tampa loss.  Scoring Summary 1st Period TOR (19:43)- Pontus Holmberg (7) (Morgan Rielly (32) & Brandon Carlo (11)) 2nd Period TOR (10:20)- Auston Matthews (31) (Morgan Rielly (33) & Mitch Marner (73)) 3rd Period TOR (1:25)- William Nylander (45) (Max Domi (24) & Simon Benoit (9)) CAR (7:58)- Sebastian Aho (29) PP (Seth Jarvis (35) & Brent Burns (23)) TOR (15:43)- John Tavares (38) (Max Domi (25) & Morgan Rielly (34)) My Thoughts It's a tale as old as time with the Toronto Maple Leafs. If you all th...

The Carolina Hurricanes returned to the win column, earning a dominant 7-3 victory over the New York Rangers in their penultimate home game of the season. Jalen Chatfield got the Canes going nine minutes into the game with a wicked wrister from the point that went bar-down on Igor Shesterkin. Late in the frame, Sebastian Aho set up Seth Jarvis to double the lead. Jackson Blake joined the fun early in the second period, burying a loose puck at the side of the net to triple their advantage. After Artemi Panarin hit the post on a wide-open net, William Carrier, making his return after three months, hit Mark Jankowski in front of the net to push the lead to 4-0. The Rangers finally got on the board late in the second after Will Cuylle snapped one under Pyotr Kochetkov's glove. Jordan Staal restored their four-goal lead early in the third, picking off a pass and carrying it end-to-end to beat Shesterkin. Things got tense in the third after JT Miller scored on the power play and Adam Fox...

The Canes kicked off their final homestand with the first half of a back-to-back. They welcomed the Rangers to town for the final meeting of the season, and this game actually meant something to the visitors. While their chances are slim, the Rangers are still alive in the Wild Card race. A loss would knock them out. For the Canes, it's all about staying healthy. In positive news, they welcomed William Carrier back to the lineup after a three-month absence, signaling he might be ready to go next weekend once the playoffs begin. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (9:02)- Jalen Chatfield (7) (Dmitry Orlov (21) & Seth Jarvis (33)) CAR (17:46)- Seth Jarvis (32) (Sebastian Aho (44) & Jackson Blake (17)) 2nd Period CAR (2:02)- Jackson Blake (17) (Seth Jarvis (34) & Sebastian Aho (45)) CAR (12:59)- Mark Jankowski (12) (William Carrier (6) & Tyson Jost (5)) NYR (19:43)- Will Cuylle (20) (JT Miller (46)) 3rd Period CAR (3:45)- Jordan Staal (13) (unassisted) NYR (6:07)- JT Miller...

The Carolina Hurricanes finished their four-game trip without a victory but did enough against Washington on Thursday to earn a point and secure home ice advantage over the Devils in the first round. The Canes started on time, getting an early Logan Stankoven goal less than six minutes in. Jackson Blake doubled the advantage after Tom Wilson shoved him into Charlie Lindgren while the puck was under him. The goal was controversial, but it stood as such. The Canes' game started to unravel late in the opening period. Pierre-Luc Dubois scored a late power-play goal, giving Washington momentum heading into the second. In the second period, Dylan Strome added another goal on the power play before Nic Dowd and Wilson scored 38 seconds apart late in the period to give Washington a 4-2 lead. The Canes fought back in the third. Jordan Martinook's wrister from the point eluded traffic, beating a screened Lindgren to pull within one. With Frederik Andersen on the bench, Seth Jarvis batted ...

In a battle eight days in the making, the Canes and the Capitals collided to conclude their four-game season series. Their war in Raleigh turned bitter in the third period last Wednesday night as the Canes prevailed, 5-1. With both sides already locked into the playoffs and little to play for on either side, the first period would be telling as to whether any bad blood would carry over. For the Canes, they really need this victory as they conclude a tough road trip in the nation's capital. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (5:42)- Logan Stankoven (13) (Andrei Svechnikov (27) & Jack Roslovic (17)) CAR (7:14)- Jackson Blake (16) (Seth Jarvis (32)) WSH (18:06)- Pierre-Luc Dubois (20) PP (Andrew Mangiapane (14) & Rsmus Sandin (25)) 2nd Period WSH (10:50)- Ryan Strome (26) PP (Alex Ovechkin (28)) WHS (16:51)- Nic Dowd (14) (Brandon Duhaime (12) & John Carlson (46)) WSH (17:29)- Tom Wilson (33) (Connor McMichael (31)) 3rd Period CAR (4:42)- Jordan Martinook (14) (Brent Burns (21...

The Carolina Hurricanes dropped their third straight game on Tuesday night as they were shut out 3-0 by James Reimer and the Buffalo Sabres. After a scoreless first period, Tage Thompson snapped his 44th goal of the season past Pyotr Kochetkov early in the second. Late in the frame, Alex Tuch outmuscled Brent Burns to finish a short-handed breakaway, giving the Sabres a 2-0 lead through two periods. Early in the third, Taylor Hall couldn't handle a puck, allowing Jack Quinn to set up JJ Peterka for an easy snipe, putting the Canes away for good. The Canes hit iron twice in the final 20 minutes, but they couldn't get anything past their old friend, who stopped all 33 shots he saw to stonewall his former squad. The Opponent: Washington Capitals (49-19-9, 107 Points- Metropolitan Division Champions) Last Meeting: The two teams met eight days ago in Raleigh for their third battle of the season. The Canes jumped on the Capitals early in the first. Sean Walker got the ball rolling, s...

While games are no longer "must-wins" for the Hurricanes, this one feels as close to a must-win as you'll get for a playoff team. Losing the first two games of their four-game road trip over the weekend, the Canes needed a positive result heading into their rematch with the Capitals on Thursday. The Sabres are already eliminated from playoff contention, but they've gotten red-hot, winning 10 of 14 and six straight at home. The Canes needed two points to inch closer to home ice for their first-round meeting with the Devils. Scoring Summary 1st Period None 2nd Period BUF (1:32)- Tage Thompson (44) (unassisted) BUF (16:45)- Alex Tuch (34) SH (Bowen Byram (31) & Ryan McLeod (30)) 3rd Period BUF (1:58)- JJ Peterka (24) (Jack Quinn (22)) My Thoughts The Canes hit the road on Friday with all of the momentum in the world after beating the brakes off the Washington Capitals, in more ways than one. All of a sudden, this team can't buy a goal. I'm not in the business...