The Carolina Hurricanes snapped their five-game winless streak with a 3-2 victory over the Calgary Flames on Saturday, Nov. 26 in PNC Arena.
A third-period power play goal by defenseman Brett Pesce pushed the result in the Canes’ (11-6-5) favor. After a rocky stretch of games where the on-ice product looked good despite not bearing much fruit, a resurgent power play unit made the difference and put Carolina back in the win column.
“We trust in our system,” Pesce said. “It’s worked for four years now with [head coach Rod Brind’Amour.] We know what we’re capable of. Everyone goes through adversity in the season. I think the biggest thing is just sticking with our game plan.”
Carolina returned to Raleigh just one day after its fourth overtime loss in five games, a 3-2 defeat to the Bruins in Boston. Taking into account the Hurricanes’ taxing road schedule early in the season and a slew of bonus hockey, getting the win in front of the home crowd was crucial to get back on the right track.
A bevy of bounce-back performances powered the Canes’ resurgence. While center Martin Nečas continued his breakout season, Pesce and center Seth Jarvis stepped up big time for Carolina to round out the home scoresheet.
“Those guys have been playing well,” Brind’Amour said. “Everyone gets based on the results. Everyone looks at your record, everyone looks at your score. You might have scored three games in a row and played like crap, but everyone’s gonna say you’re playing well. You have to get on the scoresheet and we know that. It’s a big boy league, you gotta put up points and you gotta win games.”
The Canes saw a few more guys step up off the scoresheet. Center Paul Stastny matched his season high for shot attempts with four, center Jesperi Kotkaniemi continued his return to form with an assist and right wing Stefan Noesen tacked on an assist of his own.
Though Noesen’s bread and butter is his netfront presence, he showed some flash on offense with a nifty no-look assist to Nečas for the Hurricanes’ first power play goal to make it 2-1.
The Canes’ power play showed up against the Flames (9-9-3) after breaking an 0-for-21 scoreless streak yesterday at TD Garden. Pesce’s game-winner capped off another pair of PPGs for Carolina, helping build more momentum for the six-game road trip ahead.
“The power play night was the reason we won,” Jarvis said. “Nechy’s goal came on an unbelievable set play. … They executed flawlessly. Then for [our unit] it’s a little uglier. We muck it up a little bit more, we grind it out, but Pesce has a beautiful shot and the whole kind of play with KK and Stast. You can’t draw it up better than that, especially to win the game.”
The Canes will head north on Tuesday, Nov. 29 to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7 p.m. With the win against Calgary in its back pocket, Carolina will hope to build momentum towards the end of the calendar year.
“We haven’t really got in a rhythm at home,” Brind’Amour said. “That’s part of the issue for me. It just doesn’t feel like we’ve actually been able to relax in between games, get a rhythm going. And it won’t [happen] for a while, but hopefully we can get through this stretch.”
