As the Hurricanes fight for a playoff spot, here’s what they need to keep doing
Fifty-five games played, 27 remaining in the regular season. For the Carolina Hurricanes, here’s how things stand:
The situation
After taking Sunday off, the Canes woke up on Monday still in Las Vegas, where they planned to practice before flying to Dallas for their Tuesday game against the Stars.
Through 55 games, they sat just below the cutoff line in the Eastern Conference with a 32-20-3 record and 67 points after Monday’s games. They’re two points behind the Philadelphia Flyers, who slipped past the Canes and into the second wild-card playoff position after winning Monday. The Canes are on pace for a 100-point season but will that be enough?
Something to remember: the Canes were 28-21-6 after 55 games last season, and that after winning five of six.
“That’s the good and the bad,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said last week. “The expectations have gone up here, which I love. We’re kind of not very happy with where we’re at and this and that, and yet we’re doing OK. But it’s going to be tough. We’re going to have to keep finding ways to win to stay in the hunt.”
Playoff odds
According to MoneyPuck.com, the Canes have a 70.9 percent chance of making the playoffs (63.7 percent this time a year ago). According to Hockey-Reference.com, the playoff probability is 67.8 percent this season. Take your pick.
What’s working
Brind’Amour has been reluctant to load up Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov on the same line. But he said assistant coach Jeff Daniels convinced him during the Arizona game on Thursday to move Teravainen, replacing Warren Foegele, and have the team’s top three point-producers together again.
Aho and Svechnikov both had two goals and an assist in the 5-3 win at Arizona. Aho and Teravainen each had a goal and assist in the 6-5 shootout win at Vegas. The Finns like being on the ice together -- even strength, power play and penalty killing. Brind’Amour said, “Aho really benefits having ‘Turbo’ around” while calling Svechnikov a “game-changing kind of player.”
Brind’Amour noted “every line has a shelf life.” He might need to extend the life of this one.
What needs work
The Canes are still adjusting to not having defenseman Dougie Hamilton and it can cause some disruptions in the defensive zone, resulting in some helter skelter play at times. Simply put: It’s easier getting the puck out of the zone with a 6-6, 229-pound D-man with speed and good hands.
Hamilton and Jaccob Slavin worked well together. Trevor van Riemsdyk has gone from the third D pairing to the top pairing, replacing Hamilton. That’s asking a lot and van Riemsdyk has played more than 21 minutes in three of the last four games. The question: can the Canes collectively hold it together with their six defensemen?
“Our back end, we know we’re depleted,” Brind’Amour said. “We need everybody to step up in any way they can.”
What needs to change
On their recent road trip, the Canes have fallen behind 2-0 in all three games (3-0 against the Blues). They never recovered against St. Louis, losing 6-3 to last year’s Stanley Cup champ, but did claw back to beat the Coyotes and then the Golden Knights.
“They know we can always come back in games but that’s not the recipe for success, that’s for sure,” Brind’Amour said. The Canes are 22-3-1 when scoring first in games. When scoring first.
“We need a better push at the beginning of the game so we’re not chasing the game all the time,” Brind’Amour said Monday.
Unexpected twist
The Canes before this season had an all-time record of 41-59 in shootouts. This season: 5-0.
How much does it help having Justin Williams back? The old pro has taken three shootout shots, made all three and had the game-deciding shootout goal each time. “He’s been lights-out, obviously,” Brind’Amour said.
Side note: Williams was 8-for-30 in his career on shootout shots before this season, with four shootout winners.
Goalie Petr Mrazek is 2-0 this season and has a 16-6 career record in shootouts. James Reimer was 17-21 before this season but is 3-0 in shootouts after the win against Vegas.
The Canes won the Vegas shootout despite having Teravainen, their leadoff guy, tripped by goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. No call on the play, infuriating the ever-placid Teravainen and Brind’Amour. But Svechnikov and Williams scored and that was that.
Who’s hot
Sebastian Aho. The center has goals in five straight games. His five-game totals: six goals and three assists. Aho matched his career-high with his 30th goal of the season against Vegas. He is tied for the NHL lead with six empty-net goals. The other guy? Alex Ovechkin.
Not to be overlooked: Reimer. He’s 12-2-1 in his last 16 starts with a 2.41 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. Reimer won 13 games last season with the Florida Panthers He has 14 overall this season.
Who’s not
Jordan Staal. The team captain does a lot things well and is the Canes’ best checking center but has had a rough year offensively. He has gone eight games without a goal and has one goal in the past 14.
Hidden stat
Teuvo Teravainen has had shooting percentages of 12.4 and 12.6 percent in the past two seasons. With three goals in his last six games he now has improved to 8.3 percent this year. He had been due and he’s now picking it up, just when the Canes need it. And playing again with Aho ...
Sigh of relief
Erik Haula’s goal Saturday against the Golden Knights, his former team, was the center’s first in 14 games. Who’s got next? The Canes are waiting on winger Ryan Dzingel, who has gone 13 games without a goal.
Keep in mind
The Canes have yet to play the Pittsburgh Penguins this season. The first game is March 8 in Pittsburgh -- in game 67 -- and the Canes and Pens will play four times in a 12-game stretch. Who comes up with this stuff?
Hurricanes at Stars
When: 8:30 p.m., Tuesday
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas
Watch: ESPN+, FSCR
This story was originally published February 11, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
