In his first full season with the Carolina Hurricanes, rookie right wing Jackson Blake has already become a fan favorite. Blake scored his third game-winning goal and seventh goal of the season in the Hurricanes’ 4-3 win over the New York Rangers Wednesday night at the Lenovo Center, putting him second in the league for the most goals scored by a rookie.
It was centers Jack Roslovic and Jack Drury who set up the rookie’s game-winner. Roslovc and Drury skated the puck into the Rangers’ zone and passed to Blake who was directly in front of the goal with time to set up and rip one past goaltender Igor Shesterkin. While scoring the game-winner was euphoric it meant even more because of who was in the stands.
“To score with them in the building and to win a game with all my family here tonight … it’s unbelievable,” Blake said.
Drury, who recorded his first multi-point game of the season, opened up the scoring. Winning the face-off and getting the puck to defenseman Dmitry Orlov, Drury got his feet set almost on the goal line to the left of the net ready for a pass from Necas. Once the puck was back in his possession, Drury let off a snapshot that snuk past Shesterkin’s shoulder.
Of players who have taken 200+ faceoffs this season, Drury has the 13 highest faceoff win percentage in the league. Not always producing points on a nightly basis, Drury’s game may fly under the radar but it doesn’t go underappreciated.
“[Faceoffs] are part of his game,” Brind’Amour said. “He’s an underrated player just because of the kind of guys we have on the team he gets overlooked a little bit. Faceoff guy, he kills penalties, he’s on the power play, there’s a lot of value there for the kind of player he is. He does a lot of the little things that maybe don’t show up but tonight they did.”
Getting an assist on Drury’s goal bumped Orlov up to a six-game point streak, making it the longest of his career. Orlov’s +19 rating is the highest in the NHL, showing his ability to be a producer on both ends of the ice.
“I don’t think he’s doing a lot different [than last season] … we’re relying on him more,” Brind’Amour said. “His overall game is just that much better and that’s what you’re seeing.”
New York responded just before the first period ended. Shooting from straight out in front of goaltender Spencer Martin, center Jonny Brodzinski sent one into the back of the net, ending the first period in a tie, 1-1.
The Canes had a solid game from start to finish but excelled when it came down to special teams. They converted 50% against the second-best penalty-kill unit in the league and killed both of the Rangers’ man-advantage opportunities. The Canes ended the night sixth overall in both power play and penalty kill percentage.
“It was great execution,” Brind’Amour said. “The power play is about execution, you always have a plan and they executed. Obviously the penalty kill has a plan and they executed. Everybody knows what everybody’s doing but you got to execute.”
The Canes regained the lead early in the second period when center Seth Jarvis crashed the net and got a touch on the puck, knocking it in off a pass from center Martin Necas.
New York didn’t let the Canes keep the lead for long and scored two more goals in the second period after an awkward bounce from the puck over Orlov’s stick and a defensive breakdown, putting the Rangers ahead for the first time.
Despite a strong finish to the second period which saw the Rangers hemmed in their own zone for consecutive shifts, the Canes headed to the break down 3-2.
This wasn’t unfamiliar territory for Carolina, who the game before, erased a two-goal deficit in the third period against the Dallas Stars with five goals in the final frame.
Halfway through the third period, center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, standing behind the net, received a pass along the boards from Drury and wrapped the puck around the net, placing it between the pads of Shesterkin to tie it at 3-3.
Between Kotkaniemi’s wrap-around and Blake’s finish on the power play, the Hurricanes took a one-goal lead that they defended until the final horn. Opposing teams have found that they’re never quite out of the storm, even when Carolina looks down and out.
“We’ve got great leadership, it starts with the staff,” Drury said. “They give us a lot of faith in ourselves even when we’re down. The veteran guys have been through it a lot and keep us confident, regardless of the score in the game.”
The Hurricanes will take the day to celebrate Thanksgiving but get right back to it on Friday and Saturday with back-to-back games against the Florida Panthers. The first of the two is back at Lenovo Center with a puck drop at 3 p.m.
