So far, so good for the Carolina Hurricanes in the second half of the 2016-17 season. In the team’s 42nd game of the year, Carolina defeated the visiting Buffalo Sabres 5-2 for a sweep of the season series. The Canes have now won three in a row and four of their last five.
Forwards Jeff Skinner and Brock McGinn scored two goals apiece for the Canes (20-15-7). That pair has been hot over the past two games, as Skinner now has six points and McGinn has three goals in that span. The Canes have showed off some very balanced scoring recently, with seven different players hitting the stat sheet in this game.
“It’s an exciting time,” head coach Bill Peters said. “You’ve got some interchangeable parts and some guys that can play all over. In the third, we put Doc [forward Derek Ryan] in the middle and [Teuvo] Teravainen on the wing and the next thing you know somebody scored early in the third. Now you’ve got some skill and some guys that can play multiple positions; it makes you more dangerous.”
Starting goalie Cam Ward had another strong night, stopping 36 of 38 Sabres (16-17-9) shots in his 600th NHL game, all of which have been with the Hurricanes.
“I’m very thankful and appreciative of playing 600 games in this league,” Ward said. “Not only this league, but this organization. I take pride in that.”
The Canes got behind the eight-ball early tonight. Less than five minutes in, defenseman Jaccob Slavin made an uncharacteristically poor decision, turning the puck over to Sabres forward Ryan O’Reilly in front of the net. O’Reilly fed the puck to forward William Carrier across the crease for a 1-0 Sabres lead.
Skinner took matters into his own hands to start the second period. The team’s leading scorer notched his 16th and 17th goals in a span of 55 seconds to make it 2-1 Hurricanes. The first goal was the Ontario native’s 300th career point.
“Ward made some stops first and then we were able to get on the board there early in the second,” Skinner said. “It’s a good feeling to contribute.”
The Canes’ took a 3-1 lead a few minutes later on a nice play. Forward Elias Lindholm powered his way around a defender, put a low shot on Sabres goalie Anders Nilsson and McGinn grabbed the rebound, roofing it in on his backhand.
“Playing with those two guys, they play about the same way,” McGinn said of his line with Lindholm and forward Jordan Staal. “I think they’re also defense first. I think if we really concentrate on being sound defensively, that’s going to help out our offense, turning pucks over and playing a really good transition game.”
Buffalo cut the Canes’ lead to one on a mental error by Ward. With the Canes on a man advantage, the veteran goalie played the puck behind the net and left it for Sabres forward Brian Gionta, who wrapped it in to make it 3-2.
The Canes extended their lead to two less than five minutes into the third period when defenseman Noah Hanifin took a shot from the slot that caromed off the end boards to forward Victor Rask. The Swedish center pounced on the loose puck and put Carolina ahead 4-2.
McGinn made it 5-2 about eight minutes into the period for his second of the night, cashing in on a nice behind the net feed from Staal as he crashed the net.
“You’re not going to score very many highlight reel goals out here,” McGinn said. “A lot of them are coming from in front of the crease and areas like that, so you just want to box out guys and get to dirty areas, and they’ll go in.”
The Canes continue to stay right in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference playoff chase, moving within three points of the idle Philadelphia Flyers for the final wildcard spot. Carolina has two games in hand on Philadelphia.
The Canes will wrap up this four-game homestand looking to make it a perfect four for four as they take on the New York Islanders Saturday night.
Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward stops a shot by Sabres forward Ryan O'Reilly on Friday in PNC Arena. Ward made 36 saves in the Hurricanes 5-2 victory over Buffalo. Friday's win also marked Ward's 600th game in the NHL, all of which he played for the Hurricanes.
