"Marty Loves the Moms' Trip": 2025-26 Regular Season, Game 66: Carolina Hurricanes at Tampa Bay Lightning

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 (24) (Sebastian Aho (44) & Sean Walker (15))

CAR (17:28)- Sebastian Aho (24) (Andrei Svechnikov (34) & K'Andre Miller (26))

2nd Period

TBL (14:10)- Yanni Gourde (8) (Victor Hedman (16) & Pontus Holmberg ())

TBL (15:21)- Charle-Édouard D'Astous (4) (Brayden Point (27) & Cage Goncalves (14))

3rd Period

CAR (9:18)- Jordan Martinook (9) (Nikolaj Ehlers (32) & Mike Reilly (8))

CAR (18:29-EN)- Logan Stankoven (13) (Taylor Hall (22))

My Thoughts

Scoring 36 seconds into a game is a pretty good way to start it, especially when it's your top line getting the job done. Andrei Svechnikov was a man possessed on the opening shift. He drew a penalty after being thwarted on a breakaway, but he refused to be a spectator. Victor Hedman, the guilty Bolt, stopped playing. The Canes got it down low to Sebastian Aho, and Svechnikov, who was cruising through the slot, was right there to bury the chance. Aho took a big, yet legal, hit late in the period from Zemgus Girgensons, and Seth Jarvis didn't like that, dropping the gloves for his first NHL fight. Aho showed his appreciation a few minutes later. While he didn't score on a breakaway, Svechnikov refused to give up on the play, swooping in to collect the loose puck and slide it to Aho for an easy goal. In just under 20 minutes, the Canes' top trio had their fingerprints all over this game.

The Canes' second period was looking really good, too, but their demons started to show up late in the frame, allowing the Lightning to get right back into it. We'll talk more about Frederik Andersen in a bit, but he needed to stop Yanni Gourde's shot. He got most of it, but it wasn't enough to keep it out of the net. The Lightning had life, and they wasted little time tying this one up. K'Andre Miller had a rough shift, getting caught flat-footed at the blue line and missing the puck when he tried to poke it away from the Lightning. It led to a 3-on-1 the other way, and there was nothing that could be done by anyone trying to defend it. In an 81-second window, the Canes went from completely in control to on their heels and hoping to keep things from spiraling further. They got out of the frame tied at two, but the momentum was no longer on their side.

To get this one over the line, the Canes needed to play a stout defensive period. Over the first few minutes, it was all Jaccob Slavin. He made an excellent play to break up a 2-on-1 in front of his net, getting the puck with his stick on the ice and preventing it from getting to Jake Guentzel with his skate. He made three more stick plays to prevent pucks from getting deep. The viral sequence of the night came courtesy of Andersen and Sean Walker. Andersen got over to deny Kucherov's one-timer, but the net was wide open for Brandon Hagel after Kucherov found him on the other side. Walker was the last line of defense, and he just stuck his foot out. Hagel's shot hit his skate, preventing the Bolts from grabbing their first lead of the night. Shortly after, Jordan Martinook scored the winning goal, snapping one from a sharp angle past a surprised Andrei Vasilevskiy. Andersen did the same thing to Kucherov late in the game, stopping a point-blank chance at the top of the crease before Logan Stankoven scored into the empty net. It was a banner frame for the Canes to get the job done.

With tonight's win, Andersen has won four of his last five starts, bringing his record back to Bettman .500 at 11-11-5. His save percentage was below .900, but tonight is one of those nights when that number doesn't tell the story. He stopped 17 of the 19 shots that he faced, but it was the timeliness of the stops mentioned during the third period that tells the entire story. He got complete buy-in from the defensive group in front of him. Sure, he wasn't perfect, with the first goal being a very stoppable one. However, he's getting hot at the perfect time, and it only bodes well for the Canes when he is playing well. 

First Star of the Game: Andrei Svechnikov

Setting the tone doesn't begin to describe what Andrei Svechnikov did on tonight's opening shift. He would've been on the ice for the power play that he drew, but Svechnikov continued to play, finishing the chance that he began. He could've been a spectator when Sebastian Aho broke in on a breakaway and was stopped. Instead, Svechnikov followed the play with speed and put himself in a spot to help his linemate out. His six shots led the team, as did his four hits.

Around the League

Pittsburgh: The Penguins took some licks early in Utah, but they recovered with some hard-working goals in the second and third periods to earn a 4-3 win over the Mammoth.

New York (I): Despite a push from the Flames in the third period, Simon Holmstrom's two-goal performance was enough to lead the Islanders to a 3-2 win at home.

Columbus: It was a big evening for Kirill Marchenko, who scored his 100th goal early and finished the game in the shootout to keep Columbus one point out of a Wild Card spot.

Philadelphia: It really felt like this was one that the Flyers needed to get the second point because it only widened the gap between them and the Blue Jackets.

Washington: It took nine rounds in the shootout to decide a winner, but the Capitals couldn't get a goal before Logan Thompson conceded one, giving the Capitals losses to Boston on consecutive Saturdays.

Current Standings

Metropolitan Division

Carolina: 90 Points (66 GP)

Pittsburgh: 81 Points (66 GP)

New York (I): 81 Points (67 GP)

Columbus: 79 Points (66 GP)

Philadelphia: 74 Points (66 GP)

Washington: 74 Points (68 GP)

Wild Card

Boston: 80 Points (66 GP)

Detroit: 80 Points (67 GP)

Columbus: 79 Points (66 GP)

Ottawa: 75 Points (65 GP)

Philadelphia: 74 Points (66 GP)

Washington: 74 Points (68 GP)

Next Up: Following another two-day break, the Hurricanes head to Columbus to start a Metropolitan Division back-to-back. Their visit to meet the Blue Jackets on Tuesday leads into the second meeting in eight days between the Canes and the Penguins at the Lenovo Center on Wednesday. Then, the Canes head north for another road trip, beginning on Friday night in Toronto. The trip also includes stops in Pittsburgh and Montreal on Sunday and Tuesday.