Are the Carolina Hurricanes called for more penalties? ‘Maybe it’s just a bad stretch’
Sebastian Aho seemed surprised to hear it, and had no easy answer for it.
In short, the Carolina Hurricanes have gone 17 consecutive games in which they have not had more power plays than their opponents.
A statistical anomaly? Just an inconvenient trend? Something deeper?
“I don’t know exactly why,” Aho said Wednesday. “Maybe it’s just a bad stretch.
“Sometimes it goes against you and sometimes the calls go for you. All I can say is that I hope it’s just a bad stretch for now and it flips when it really matters.”
Meaning the Stanley Cup playoffs. Special teams often are the difference in playoff games, where five-on-five play is so tight-checking, scoring lower, and power-play goals decisive in many games.
The Canes’ 17-game stretch started Feb. 6 against Vancouver at PNC Arena. The Canucks were 2-for-3 on the power play and the Canes 1-for-2, Aho scoring the goal, as Vancouver won 3-2.
Overall, opponents have had 57 power plays and the Canes 37. Carolina, third on the penalty kill in the NHL, has limited the damage by holding opponents to seven power-play goals in the 17 games while the Canes also have scored seven times.
“As long as it’s consistent, I don’t have an issue,” Aho said of the officiating.
Aho pointed to Tuesday’s game against the New York Rangers at PNC Arena. The Rangers had two power plays and the Canes one, neither team scoring as New York won 1-0 on a ricochet goal by Adam Fox late in the first period.
The Canes’ Andrei Svechnikov was called for interference — a retaliation penalty after an open-ice hit from Erik Gustafsson — and Evgeny Kuznetsov was called for tripping. New York’s Jimmy Vesey was called for interference in the first minute of the game.
“I think (the officiating) was good,” Aho said. “Both teams played hard. Both of our penalties were obvious and you can’t argue with those.
“Three penalties total? I think that was good. I just like it when it’s consistent and they call the obvious ones. But, both ways, there were probably some little cross checks or stuff like that. I thought they did a great job of letting the players play.”
The Canes (39-20-6),who host the Florida Panthers on Thursday, have the eighth-best points percentage in the league. They are a fast team. Their play is aggressive. They have skilled players who can make plays.
But drawing penalties? Through Tuesday’s games, the Hurricanes were 19th in the NHL with 198 power-play opportunities for the 2023-24 season. They were 18th in penalties taken with 245 and 24th in penalties drawn with 235.
Aho, the Canes’ leading scorer, is a good skater and crafty player who has the puck a lot. He has drawn seven penalties but been called for 11 this season.
Svechnikov, always a physical type on the ice, has been called for 21 penalties and drawn just 10 in the 44 games he has played. The 11-penalty differential was among the highest in the league.
“As a team, we’ve got to be better, especially in these tight games,” Aho said.
The Canes have made the most of their power-play chances — they were fifth in the NHL with 52 goals this season.
Like Aho, Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour is a bit stumped when it comes to answers about the 17-game stretch, when the Canes were 11-5-1.
“I hope it’s an anomaly,” he said Wednesday. “That’s strange. You would think it would somehow be even.
“Maybe other teams have the same thing, I don’t know.”
The Anaheim Ducks had a stretch of 18 games from Nov. 14 to Dec. 21, with a minus-31 power-play differential (85-54), according to the Canes.
Brind’Amour has been outspoken — and fined at times — for comments about the officiating and for behavior behind the bench. Could that past factor into the present with the refereeing, he was asked?
“I’m actually the biggest advocate for the refs because of what they need,” Brind’Amour said. “They’re great at what they do. The sport has kind of moved past where we can watch it live and make a good assessment of what’s going on.
“They do a great job a majority of the time. But we’re at a different time now where we can give these guys a little more help and they can get everything right.”
