Canes' Boychuk, Terry help make a point

It might be a stretch to say Chris Terry and Zach Boychuk saved the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday and allowed the Canes to squeeze out their first point of the season.

But with the Canes trailing the Buffalo Sabres 3-1 in the final eight minutes of the third period, Boychuk fed Terry for a goal. Later, Terry did the same for Boychuk, who tied the score at 3.

The game eventually went into a shootout and Terry scored again, giving Carolina a chance to win. It was not to be as the Sabres won the shootout in the eighth round for a 4-3 victory at PNC Arena, but the two former Charlotte Checkers linemates did enough to impress Canes coach Bill Peters.

“You can always tell when pairs have chemistry,” Peters said Wednesday. “I was happy for them. Those guys have had good success at the American Hockey League level and they want to be full-time NHL players, and they have an opportunity. But full-time NHL players bring it every day. They show up, they play and empty the tank.”

Terry and Boychuk will be the wingers on a line with center Jay McClement on Thursday in the Canes’ road game against the New York Rangers. Forward Jeff Skinner, after missing the first three games with a concussion, also could be in the lineup for Carolina (0-2-1).

Peters said defenseman Andrej Sekera also may be able to play. Sekera took a nasty spill into the end boards in the first period Tuesday, missed the remainder of the game and did not practice Wednesday.

Peters said he first believed Sekera might have broken his neck, but he escaped major injury. Peters said a decision on Sekera and Skinner would be made after the morning skate at Madison Square Garden.

“He’s a warrior; he wants to play,” Peters said of Sekera.

Center Eric Staal and winger Patrick Dwyer missed the Sabres game with injuries, and Dwyer was placed on injured reserve Wednesday as the Canes called up forward Brody Sutter from Charlotte. Staal and defenseman John-Michael Liles, who was injured late against the Sabres, are listed as day-to-day.

Terry made the Canes’ roster out of training camp, but Boychuk did not. A 36-goal scorer for the Checkers last season, leading the AHL, Boychuk was placed on waivers by Carolina last week and then reassigned after clearing.

“It’s tough, really disappointing,” Boychuk said. “You try to talk it out with your family and friends, but it’s really disappointing.”

But Boychuk, the Canes’ first-round draft pick in 2008, said he had a long, meaningful discussion with Peters before leaving. It lasted about 25 minutes, Boychuk said, or about 20 minutes longer than the going-to-Charlotte conversations he had with other Canes coaches.

“He went through every year of my junior career,” Boychuk said. “He wanted to know my linemates, how many points I had, what my starts were like. He wanted to go through my pro career, every year.

“He was jotting down notes. He wanted to call my junior coach. He thought I was a little bit of a slow starter in training camp and it was something he wanted to work with me on.”

Peters said it was nothing unusual for him to spend that kind of time with a player.

“For me, I thought it was a very important meeting,” Peters said. “He’s a young player with a bright future and I wanted him to understand where we were coming from as an organization and specifically where I was coming from, so there was no gray area. I think he’s responded.”

Recalled Sunday from the Checkers, Boychuk was back on the line with Terry and playing with energy. His sharp pass out of the corner allowed Terry a good look from the slot, and Boychuk scored with 1 minute, 48 seconds left in the third.

“We had chemistry last year and played together a lot,” Terry said. “It’s nice to play with a familiar face.”

Boychuk, smiling, said teammates in Charlotte called the two forwards the “twins.” They also were roommates on the road.

“Every year it seems like we come into camp vying for the same position,” Terry said. “It’s competition, but it’s made each of us better.”

This story was originally published October 15, 2014 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Canes' Boychuk, Terry help make a point."