The Carolina Hurricanes kicked off the regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 12, following a promising preseason performance. With hockey back in full swing across the country, the Canes traveled far and wide — with varying degrees of success. Here are a few takeaways from October’s schedule.
Ups and downs out west
Unlike last year, a 9-0 start to the season just wasn’t in the cards for Carolina. After facing a slew of late-night matches on the West Coast, the Hurricanes returned to Raleigh on Oct. 28 with a 4-1-1 record.
Granted, the competition was a little all over the place. The San Jose Sharks (3-8-1) aren’t exactly the team to beat this season, especially after giving up star defenseman Brent Burns to the Canes. That being said, Edmonton and Calgary — who faced each other in the Stanley Cup quarterfinals earlier this year — handed Carolina their first two losses.
Thankfully, Caniacs won’t have to stay up for another 10:30 p.m. puck drop until Dec. 3.
Svechnikov scores!
Despite a 6-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers Oct. 21, right wing Andrei Svechnikov made headlines with his first hat trick of the season, sparking an ongoing hot streak for the 22-year-old.
Svechnikov is now in a four-way tie for third in goals scored this season across the NHL. Svechnikov boosts the Hurricanes’ somewhat-lacking defense and serves as a much-needed leader on and off the ice — especially when paired alongside center Martin Necas, who leads Carolina in points.
Looking ahead, Svechnikov — and the rest of Carolina’s offensive squad — will undeniably find some tough competition against 2022 Stanley Cup finalists Tampa Bay Lightning this Thursday, Nov. 3.
A rude awakening in Raleigh
The jet-lagged Hurricanes fell apart in their homecoming match, which served as a much-needed wake-up call. Shoddy, sluggish plays all around and uneven defensive lines led the Canes to a humbling 6-2 defeat against the New York Islanders.
A few critics pointed out that left wing Jordan Martinook’s vault into the top line may have been a contributing factor. Martinook, who was placed on waivers Oct. 7, isn’t exactly the hard-hitting offensive presence you’d expect alongside Svechnikov and star center Sebastian Aho.
That being said, Martinook’s appearance counts for a lot more than just skill on the ice. His dynamic relationship with the rest of the team goes beyond general productivity, and his cries of “Mista Svechnikov!” and general good-naturedness has made him a fan favorite in recent years. Personally, I don’t mind seeing him alongside two of Carolina’s top scorers, even if the outcome isn’t always favorable.
Andersen treats Canes to Halloween win despite defensive struggles
It wouldn’t be Canes hockey without a true barn-burner on the spookiest day of the year. On Oct. 31, Svechnikov and goaltender Freddie Andersen led the Hurricanes to a 3-2 shootout win over the Washington Capitals.
Despite a second-period slump and a scoreless third period, Andersen stepped up in the nail-biting final minutes. Burns and Svechnikov scored for Carolina, while Washington center Evgeny Kuznetsov was the only member of the Capitals to put anything past Andersen.
Although the offensive line has outperformed the Hurricanes’ defensive lines considerably over the past few weeks, Svechnikov and Aho’s prowess will undeniably be put to the test this upcoming Thursday against Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. Beyond that, a hotheaded match against the top-ranked Boston Bruins on Black Friday should be well worth tuning into.
