Canes still looking for first win of season

As of Monday morning, 12 teams in the NHL were winless, including the Carolina Hurricanes.

Granted, it’s early. Very early. But compounding the Hurricanes’ 0-2 start is they’ve lost games and players.

Defenseman James Wisniewski was lost – likely for the season – with an ACL injury Thursday in the season opener against the Nashville Predators, and forward Riley Nash suffered a shoulder injury Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings that Canes coach Bill Peters said would sideline him 10-14 days.

The Canes did catch one break. Center Victor Rask left Saturday’s game in the final minute of regulation with an apparent arm injury, but was able to practice Monday after the Hurricanes had an off-day Sunday.

The Hurricanes, with goalie Eddie Lack making his first start, host the Florida Panthers on Tuesday at PNC Arena. They then leave for a run of seven consecutive road games that includes another game against Detroit, their first Metropolitan Division game against Washington and the first West Coast swing of the season.

But as center Jordan Staal put it Monday, it’s no time to be edgy or panicky.

“There are 80 games left,” Staal said. “It’s a long season. Our philosophy all season will be moving on to the next shift, next game, next practice. We’re always trying to get better and I think we improved on our game from the Nashville game. We had a tough ending last game but had a lot of good things, as well. We just want to get that first win and build on that.”

The Predators won 2-1 Thursday in the season opener at Bridgestone Arena, dominating the first period and taking a 2-0 lead. The Canes were better the final 40 minutes but couldn’t beat Preds goalie Pekka Rinne until the final two minutes when Eric Staal scored.

In Saturday’s home opener at PNC Arena, the Hurricanes jumped on the Wings. Carolina had an 18-2 shooting edge in the first period and 34-8 after two in taking a 2-1 lead, only to have the Wings score three times in the third to emerge with a 4-3 win.

“In our start in Nashville we were nervous for whatever reason and on our heels a bit, and then played really well over the next 40 (minutes),” Peters said. “I thought we had a real good 40 minutes the first two periods (against Detroit) and then our (defensive) gaps changed, we weren’t quite as good and they skated better in the third. Somewhere in there we want to find our game and have the game we can play for 60 minutes, or 65 if necessary.”

The Canes had 47 shots against Detroit. There were slapshots and wristers, chips and deflections – no shortage of offensive chances against the Wings.

In the final seconds of regulation in each game, Canes forward Jeff Skinner found the puck in front of him and an open net. He whiffed against Nashville, then was wide on his attempt against the Wings.

“The one in Nashville I should have tried to whack at it instead of settling it down – it was kind of spinning on me,” he said. “The next game, I get one where I should probably settle it down and I just whack at it. Obviously I’d like to have those two back, especially the one in Nashville.

“But I’ll take those chances and more often than not I think I’ll be able to execute. If the chances are there, that’s a good thing. We’re getting our chances.”

The Canes, 0-3 on the power play against Nashville, did not convert on their first five against Detroit. Carolina had 46 seconds of a 5-on-3 advantage in the first period but couldn’t score.

The Canes’ third goal, by defenseman Justin Faulk, was a power-play score but came with an extra attacker and 2.1 seconds left in regulation.

“It hasn’t been clicking the way we want it to yet,” Skinner said. “We had the 5 on 3 and the crowd was into it. You get one on that 5 on 3, maybe you can keep the momentum.”

Nash centered the line with Skinner and Chris Terry in the Red Wings game. His injury resulted in shuffling of the lines Monday as Elias Lindholm was moved from wing to center with Skinner and Terry. Kris Vertsteeg replaced Lindholm on Rask’s line opposite Eric Staal, and Joakim Nordstrom moved to the wing on Jordan Staal’s line opposite Nathan Gerbe.

The fourth line Monday had Jay McClement centering Brad Malone and Andrej Nestrasil. Malone was a healthy extra the first two games.

“We’ve done some good things,” Skinner said. “If we keep playing the way we are and keep sticking with it I think things will pay off for us.”

This story was originally published October 12, 2015 at 4:43 PM with the headline "Canes still looking for first win of season."