Depth scoring proved to be the difference as the Carolina Hurricanes fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 in PPG Paints Arena Sunday, in a game the Hurricanes needed to win if they hoped to climb the playoff standings.
All three of the Penguins’ (43-25-11) goals came from their bottom six forward group as Pittsburgh delivered a hard-hitting, physical game that took its toll on the Hurricanes (43-29-7). Defenseman Calvin de Haan, who took a hard fall to the ice after a hit from Penguins forward Jake Guentzel during the second period and went immediately to the room, did not return to the game as he was ruled out with an upper-body injury.
“I haven’t talked to the trainers yet, but I think he’s going home, so it’s not good,” head coach Rod Brind’Amour told Michael Smith of carolinahurricanes.com after the game.
Heading into the game, the Canes had the potential to jump Pittsburgh for third in the Metropolitan division with a regulation win, but now they sit four points back of the Pens and have fallen to the second wild card spot as the Columbus Blue Jackets also picked up a win.
The Penguins broke the ice a little over halfway through the first period as forward Garret Wilson jammed the puck into the net during a scrum in front of Curtis McElhinney. The Hurricanes challenged for goaltender interference, but the call on the ice was confirmed as McElhinney didn’t have control of the puck when contact was made.
Pittsburgh closed out the first period on an exclamation as former Hurricane Matt Cullen beat McElhinney on a 2-on-1 rush, sniping it far-side. The Canes, who were in desperate need for a jump, instead had to kill a 4-on-3 in the final 30 seconds of the first period, which transitioned to the second.
The Hurricanes, after killing the penalty, were barely hanging in with the Pens, being completely dominated by them at the start of the second period. The Canes didn’t get their first shot on goal until 11:15 into the period despite even having a power play earlier. Momentum shifted to the Canes favor late in the period but the score remained 2-0 after two.
The Penguins piled onto their lead a minute into the third period as Pittsburgh forward Patric Hornqvist one-timed a drop pass from Dominik Simon past McElhinney.
Carolina began applying heavy pressure to the Penguins and were awarded a power play about halfway through the period. Jaccob Slavin instilled some life into the Canes as his slap shot went through heavy traffic and beat Pittsburgh goaltender Matt Murray to break the shutout.
With McElhinney pulled for the extra attacker, the Hurricanes mounted a flurry of shots, but none of them beat Murray who closed the gates on Carolina’s hopes of another comeback victory.
With three games remaining on its schedule and only one point up on the Montreal Canadiens for a spot in the postseason, Carolina is in control of its own destiny and will need to refocus if it hopes to end its nine-year playoff drought.
The Hurricanes are back in action Tuesday as they head north to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
