Thoughts From My Couch

The Canes and the Blue Jackets will get familiar with one another over the next few days, facing off in each other's barns tonight and Thursday to complete their season series. There is plenty at stake for both teams. The Canes can push their magic number to four with a win while strengthening their hold on the Metropolitan Division. For Columbus, both of these games are of significance, with their spot in the playoffs being challenged by plenty of teams. With Brandon Bussi and Jet Greaves ready to face off again, the teams in front of them needed to be at their best to help their goalies out. Columbus is fighting through injuries, while the Canes' Sean Walker was expected to go after a collision on Sunday. With points at a premium in the division, this could prove to be a momentum-swinging contest in the race. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (13:29-PP)- Shayne Gostisbehere (13) (Nikolaj Ehlers (39) & Andrei Svechnikov (37)) CAR (16:12-PP)- Logan Stankoven (15) (Mark Jankows...

Last Game : The Carolina Hurricanes couldn't complete their weekend sweep on Sunday with the Montreal Canadiens in town. The script read similarly to their loss in Montreal on Tuesday. The Canes got on the board first when Andrei Svechnikov clapped a shot over Jakub Dobes' shoulder to get them off to a quick start. They were the far better team in the first period, but it all crumbled down in the second. Nick Suzuki tied it early in the second. Cole Caufield snapped one late in the period to give Montreal the lead. Suzuki added another in the final seconds of the middle frame on the power play. This would prove to be more than enough. The Canes continued to struggle for offense against Dobes, who stopped 34 shots in a 3-1 win for the Canadiens to complete their season sweep of Carolina. Injury Report Sean Walker : He collided with Juraj Slafkovsky during Sunday's loss, but it's unclear the severity of his injury, or if there is one to potentially keep him out. The Oppon...

The Hurricanes already got a good result this weekend, beating the Devils last night, 5-2. They played a very good game. However, the one everyone had circled was this one between two teams playing back-to-back. The Canadiens won last night, too, beating Nashville, 4-1, behind a dominant effort from their second line. For the Canes, there was a ton on the line. It was a chance to strengthen its division lead, shrink its magic number, and get a little revenge for Tuesday's loss in Montreal. For the Canadiens, this game meant plenty as well. With Buffalo and Tampa Bay refusing to allow them in the Top 2 of the Atlantic Division, the Habs needed to complete their season sweep of the Canes to continue their momentum into their clash on Tuesday with the Lightning. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (8:37-PP)- Andrei Svechnikov (26) (Seth Jarvis (32) & Sebastian Aho (49)) 2nd Period MTL (6:18)- Nick Suzuki (25) (Cole Caufield (33) & Lane Hutson (61)) MTL (17:32)- Cole Caufield (46) (...

Last Game : The Carolina Hurricanes got back into the win column on Saturday night, completing their season sweep of the New Jersey Devils. The Devils got on the board first, with Timo Meier finishing a 2-on-1 late in the first period to break the ice. It was pretty much all Carolina from there. Just past the halfway point in the contest, Nikolaj Ehlers scored on the power play on a wicked shot to the top corner, tying things up at one. Shortly after, Jackson Blake showed patience with the puck, waiting for a defender to slide out of the way before sliding his shot past Jacob Markstrom. Just under 90 seconds later, Jordan Staal tipped a shot under Markstrom's arm, pushing the lead to two. In his return, Shayne Gostisbehere got the dagger, intercepting a pass in the neutral zone and calling his own number with a snipe past Markstrom's glove. Seth Jarvis put the Devils away for good, scoring his 30th goal of the season while short-handed into the empty net. Evgenii Dadonov scored...

The Hurricanes' magic number continues to shrink with each passing day, but there's no more reliable team than your own this time of the year. The group begins a big weekend with a division battle, the final meeting of the season between the Canes and the New Jersey Devils. The team gets a big weapon back into the lineup as Shayne Gostisbehere plays for the first time since the beginning of the month in Edmonton. He returns to a red-hot power play and a defensive partner who has been a big part of it. The Devils don't have a ton to play for this late in the season, but they wouldn't mind playing the spoiler for the Canes in their bid for the division crown. This has the chance to be a tone-setting contest ahead of tomorrow's battle against the Canadiens, but there's no bigger game than the one right in front of them.  Scoring Summary 1st Period NJD (17:06)- Timo Meier (22) (Dawson Mercer (20) & Nico Hischier (30)) 2nd Period CAR (10:10-PP)- Nikolaj Ehlers (2...

Last Game : The Carolina Hurricanes ended their three-game road trip on a sour note, falling to the Montreal Canadiens. The Canes got off to a quick start, scoring on the power play for the fourth straight game. Nikolaj Ehlers' attempted pass to Seth Jarvis redirected off a Montreal stick and into the net, getting the group off to a quick start. Then, Jordan Staal found himself alone in the slot with the puck. He snapped it over Jakub Dobes' shoulder to double the lead. This is where the fun times ended. Oliver Kapanen tipped a shot from the point to cut into the Canes' lead before the end of the opening period. Cole Caufield was in the right spot to pop home a rebound to tie the game before his tipped chance deflected off Juraj Slafkovsky to give Montreal the lead. Ivan Demidov capitalized on a misplay by K'Andre Miller, skating the puck the other way and scoring on a breakaway to put the game away for good late in the third. Jake Evans added the empty-net goal to secu...

The Hurricanes and the Canadiens don't like each other very much. If anything, the fans probably don't like each other more than the players do, but that's beside the point. On Tuesday, they met for the first time in almost three months, and a lot has changed since then. While points are valuable for both sides, the Canadiens are far more desperate than the Canes right now, especially with a playoff berth far from secure, as of now. However, the Hurricanes still have plenty to fight for. They have a good lead in the division, but that could disappear. They are locked into a battle for the #1 seed in the East with Buffalo, trying to secure home ice. The Presidents' Trophy isn't completely out of the picture yet, either, though it feels like it's Colorado's to lose. With two very dangerous offenses clashing, the Canes needed to be sharp at Centre Bell. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (2:36-PP)- Nikolaj Ehlers (22) (Andrei Svechnikov (36) & Seth Jarvis (31))...

Last Game: There wasn't much suspense throughout the Carolina Hurricanes' victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday afternoon. The second stop on the Canes' three-game trip was a breeze, thanks in large part to their power play making the top-ranked penalty kill look bad. Sebastian Aho opened the scoring 47 seconds into the contest, snapping a shot from above the dot that hit Connor Dewar's stick and skipped past Stuart Skinner. It was the only goal of the opening frame, but the Canes exploded for three more in the second. Nikolaj Ehlers, who drew the opening power play, unleashed a wicked clapper from the point, beating Skinner cleanly on the power play to double the lead. The fourth line grinded for a goal midway through, getting the puck to Jalen Chatfield at the point. Chatfield's shot hit something on the way in before ringing the post and hitting the back of the net, making it 3-0. Late in the period, Ehlers showcased excellent patience, throwing a blind ...

For the final time this season, the current Top 2 in the Metropolitan Division came together to settle things. The Canes have bested the Penguins twice over the last two weeks, but they've needed overtime to get it done. The Penguins played yesterday afternoon, earning a shootout victory over the Winnipeg Jets. For the fifth time this season, Frederik Andersen and Stuart Skinner stood across from one another, trying to give their team the edge. The Canes should have the rest advantage, but the home crowd would help negate that in the Steel City. With plenty to play for, this felt like a big-time bout between two of the division's best. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (0:47-PP)- Sebastian Aho (25) (Seth Jarvis (29)) 2nd Period CAR (6:24-PP)- Nikolaj Ehlers (21) (Seth Jarvis (30) & Alexander Nikishin (18)) CAR (9:15)- Jalen Chatfield (2) (Eric Robinson (6)) CAR (17:20-PP)- Seth Jarvis (29) (Nikolaj Ehlers (37) & Andrei Svechnikov (35)) 3rd Period PIT (14:56)- Egor Chinakho...

Last Game: The Carolina Hurricanes got their three-game road trip started in Toronto on Friday night. During a slow and uneventful opening 20 minutes, the Maple Leafs struck first, scoring on a Dakota Joshua rebound goal to get the party started. The second period was when things started to go the Hurricanes' way. After drawing a double-minor for high-sticking, the Canes' power play drew them even. Seth Jarvis threw a shot at the net that Jordan Staal tipped past Joseph Woll to tie it up. Eric Robinson, whose face drew the power play, also drew a penalty shot for himself, and he buried it past Woll's glove to put the Canes in front. John Tavares scored a soft goal to tie it at two, but the Canes ended the middle frame in front once more. K'Andre Miller brought pressure to Morgan Rielly and forced him to turn it over, creating a short-handed breakaway for himself. Miller made no mistake, freezing Woll and regaining the Canes' one-goal advantage. William Nylander scor...

It's time for another road trip, but the Carolina Hurricanes aren't straying from their time zone, so that in itself is a win. The Canes begin by heading to the center of the hockey universe to battle the Toronto Maple Leafs, who look very different from the last time they faced the Canes in December. They're without their captain, Auston Matthews, who had season-ending knee surgery this week. They also traded three forwards at the break, allowing a few others to step into the lineup. Still, there is no shortage of top players at the top of the lineup, anchored by the trio of William Nylander, Matthews Knies, and John Tavares. The Canes have played a few very interesting games over the last week, including their wild back-and-forth affair with the Penguins on Wednesday. They haven't put together a 60-minute effort in a good bit, so it would be nice to get that from them tonight. Scoring Summary 1st Period TOR (11:48)- Dakota Joshua (9) (Bo Groulx (2) & Mattias Macce...

Last Game: Wednesday night in Raleigh featured a barnburner between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Canes got off to an early start when Jordan Martinook buried a short-handed breakaway to break the ice. The Penguins got it back midway through the second when a returning Sidney Crosby slid it five-hole on Frederik Andersen. Late in the period, Jackson Blake did the same thing to Stuart Skinner after a power play expired, giving the Canes a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes. No one was prepared for the insanity that the third period brought. Aided by a carry-over penalty and an early trip to make it a 5-on-3, Erik Karlsson hammered a shot off the post and in to tie it. The Stankoven line got it back on a beautiful passing play that Taylor Hall finished. However, a fanned shot by Jaccob Slavin ended with Bryan Rust burying a breakaway to tie it at three. Once again, the Canes retook the lead after Logan Stankoven scored on the power play. Not only did the Penguins tie it...

If the Hurricanes were hoping for an easy ride back into town against the Penguins tonight, they'd be sorely mistaken. Last week, they barely squeaked out a shootout victory after blowing a multi-goal lead in the final three minutes. That was without two of the Penguins' top players in the lineup. Tonight, both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin took the ice for Pittsburgh, hoping to shrink the Canes' lead in the division further to close their road trip. The Canes didn't put together a great effort on Tuesday in Columbus, but they've been very good against the division and the top teams in the league this season, giving us a glimmer of something that they'd be able to turn it around tonight. For their sake, I certainly hope they can. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (9:36-SH)- Jordan Martinook (10) (Jordan Staal (13) & Jaccob Slavin (4)) 2nd Period PIT (9:57)- Sidney Crosby (28) (Rickard Rakell (20) & Erik Karlsson (43)) CAR (16:51)- Jackson Blake (20) (Tayl...

Last Game: There wasn't much to like about the Carolina Hurricanes' effort in Columbus last night. The Canes immediately found themselves on the wrong side of the game after Mason Marchment scored on the power play early in the first period. The Blue Jackets' man advantage struck again during the final minute of the frame, with Charlie Coyle burying one past Brandon Bussi. The Canes showed signs of life midway through the second, with Nicolas Deslauriers dropping the gloves and Andrei Svechnikov scoring during a 4-on-4 soon after. However, Danton Heinen scored a controversial goal to restore Columbus's two-goal lead, and Denton Mateychuk scored less than a minute later to extend it to three before the end of the second. Mathieu Olivier added one more in the third to complete a 5-1 win for the Blue Jackets. Injury Report Shayne Gostisbehere: He didn't play on Tuesday, and all signs point to him missing tonight's contest as well, with a chance of playing on the up...

If there was ever a victory for the Hurricanes to build upon, Saturday's triumph in Tampa Bay would be at the very top of the list. Outside of a few sketchy minutes late in the second period, the Canes were the better team against their fellow conference powerhouse, allowing them to maintain a healthy lead in the division and their small lead over Buffalo for the top seed in the East. With a divisional back-to-back staring at them next, the Canes hoped to continue their general mastery of their division foes in Columbus on Tuesday. The Blue Jackets have been one of the hottest teams in the league over the last two months, thanks to a coaching change that has turned their season back around. With a playoff spot within their grasp, the Canes' failure to match their desperation would likely signal disaster. Maybe, having a new body in the lineup would help matters. Scoring Summary 1st Period CBJ (5:25-PP)- Mason Marchment (16) (Charlie Coyle (36) & Adam Fantilli (29)) CBJ (19:...

Last Game: The Carolina Hurricanes earned a statement victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night, going into a tough environment and coming out of it with two more points. They got off to an incredible start. Andrei Svechnikov immediately drew a penalty, but he refused to stop play. Just 36 seconds in, he finished a pass from Sebastian Aho to get the group rolling. Late in the period, Svechnikov returned the favor. After Aho was denied on a breakaway, Svechnikov slid the rebound over to Aho for an easy goal, making it 2-0 after 20. The Canes were in control, but they let it slip late in the second. Yanni Gourde got in on a breakaway. Frederik Andersen got some of it, but not enough, allowing the Bolts to gain some life. Just over a minute later, they stormed in on a 3-on-1, and Charle-Edouard D'Astous finished it, tying the game at two. After an incredible stop from Andersen and an even better stop by Sean Walker, the team pushed back in front. Jordan Martinook surprise...

Well, we didn't get a debut tonight, despite the indication on Friday that it was a distinct possibility. However, the fourth line has been the team's best this week, so it didn't make sense to split them up. While we'll wait another few days for the potential debut of Nicolas Deslauriers, there is still plenty to talk about when it comes to the Canes and the Bolts. Two of the best in the Eastern Conference, all signs point to this being a potential Eastern Conference Finals matchup, but it's way too early to be talking in depth about that. First, they must settle their season series on the ice tonight, meeting for the third time with the series deadlocked at a win apiece. Each side won on home ice, so the Canes will try to buck that trend tonight when they venture to Florida once more. With their moms joining them for the fun, they'll have extra incentive to get the job done and enjoy a nice flight home. Scoring Summary 1st Period CAR (0:36)- Andrei Svechnikov ...