The Carolina Hurricanes were coming into the weekend on a two-game winning streak. They defeated the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday and the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. Both of those games managed to go into overtime, with Ottawa going to a shootout. The Hurricanes came out taking four out of four points. Their sights after Thursday turned to the weekend back-to-back against the New Jersey Devils and the San Jose Sharks. Both of those teams defeated the Hurricanes earlier this season, the Devils as recently as last week. The team was looking to end this week’s revenge tour of the teams they’ve lost to already; along with going four straight wins into the All-Star break.
Carolina Defeats New Jersey on Whalers Night
The Carolina Hurricanes celebrated Whalers Night at PNC Arena on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils. The Hurricanes going into the game were 3-0-2 all-time in the Whalers jerseys. They looked to continue the trend. Right from the start, it seemed that would be the case.
Jordan Martinook, in his first game coming back from COVID Protocol, would get the Hurricanes on the board first at the 8:02 mark in the first period. While moving out in front of the net he would receive a pass from Seth Jarvis who was bending the Devils goal. Martinook took the puck on his forehand, then start to do a spin-a-rama and fire the puck low on his backhand. He would manage to beat Devils goaltender Jon Gillies at the opposite post to make it 1-0 Carolina. Talk about a vintage goal on a vintage throwback night.
Also, the goal would be Martinook’s second of the season and Jarvis’ 10th assist along with Brady Skjei‘s 11th on the year.
Spin-O-Rama!! pic.twitter.com/HpONTzuSO2
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) January 30, 2022
The Hurricanes wouldn’t be done scoring for the period as Andrei Svechnikov wanted to get in on the action as well. At the 14:22 mark of the period, Svechnikov would receive a pass from Ian Cole on the left side of the ice. Svechnikov would go into a foot race with New Jersey’s Colton White toward the Devils net. Svechnikov would end the play by just stuffing the puck past Gillies into the net to make it 2-0 Carolina. Furthermore, that would be Svechnikov’s 15th goal of the season and Cole’s eighth assist.
Svech bull-rushing the net is never a good thing for the opponent pic.twitter.com/j5cxkyNWQc
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) January 30, 2022
No More Goals, Only Drama
Unfortunately, those would be Carolina’s only goals in the game. Also, to make it more dramatic, the Devils made it 2-1 after a Jesper Boqvist goal at the 17:26 mark of the period. The second and third periods didn’t see any goals but there was drama for the last 40 minutes of the game. Both teams would trade chances for the last two periods to no avail. Gillies shut the door after the first and Raanta would just keep coming up with big save after big save. Raanta was on another level Saturday night.
Have a Night Antti Raanta
Antti Raanta had a night to remember on Saturday against the Devils. In his first game in net since January 1st, he would end up stopping 24-of-25 shots he faced that game. That is a .960 that anyone can enjoy seeing on a scoresheet. It seemed like all game he would end up making big save, after big save. Furthermore, he just seemed to read the plays every time the Devils came into the Hurricanes zone. One would think he would be rusty after sitting behind a hot goaltender in Frederik Andersen. Although it seems like Raanta doesn’t collect rust, he just collects wins when given the opportunity. Have a night Antti Raanta.
By my count, the fourth (!!!) bailout save of the night by Raanta.
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) January 30, 2022
Some confusion at center by the #Canes allowed Nathan Bastian to walk in all alone, but the Finn keeps it out. pic.twitter.com/uFNssYQcfT
Hurricanes needed a Bigger Boat after Sharks Game
After the Hurricanes 2-1 win on Saturday against the Devils, they would play host to the San Jose Sharks before the All-Star break. The Sharks were coming off of winning one game in their last four. The win was coming from their 4-1 defeat of the Capitals in Washington D.C. Carolina was coming off of three straight wins and looking for their fourth win in six days.
Vincent Trocheck would get the scoring started for the game at the 4:36 mark of the first period. He would receive a pass in the neutral zone from Ian Cole. While the Hurricanes would be on a line change, Trocheck would enter the Sharks zone surrounded by four white jerseys. Usually, the guy who would be surrounded by four opponents would dump the puck. Although, that is not what Trocheck did here. He would surprise everyone, including former Carolina teammate James Reimer, and snipe a shot. Fortunately for the Hurricanes, it would end up in the back of the net making it 1-0 Carolina.
TR?CH pic.twitter.com/vPHS4FDM6U
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) January 30, 2022
The second period didn’t see a whole lot of action. Probably the fastest second-period players and fans have seen in a while. It remained 1-0 after 40 minutes of play. The third period, just like the Devils game, added some drama to the game.
San Jose Sharks forward Rūdolfs Balcers would tie the game up in the third period at the 3:36 mark of the period. A broken play defensively leads to a seemingly wide-open net for Balcers to tie the game for the Sharks. That would make the rest of the period feel like a playoff-like atmosphere with the chances being given on both sides. Although, the goalies in Remier and Andersen would keep stopping everything that came their way.
Late Game Heroics by Mistaaaaaaaa Svechnikov
While both teams kept creating chances there seemed to be an indication that no one had an answer to beat either goalie. It seemed as if the game was destined for overtime. Although, a certain young Russian superstar had other ideas. Andrei Svechnikov in back-to-back games would give Carolina their game-winning goal.
At the 16:16 mark of the third period, with a faceoff in the Sharks zone. Sebastian Aho would win a faceoff that would bounce off the sidewall and onto his stick. He would pass it out to the point to defenseman Brett Pesce. Pesce would shoot the puck on the net, either trying to find a goal or give someone an opportunity for a rebound. Luckily for the Hurricanes, Svechnikov was in the right place, at the right time. He would end up spinning around and knocking the puck into the net off of James Reimer for a 2-1 lead.
Svech in the clutch!! pic.twitter.com/swUsgm8092
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) January 31, 2022
That would be Svechnikov’s 16th goal of the season. Furthermore, that would be Pesce’s 12th assist along with Aho’s 26th of the year. The game would end 2-1 and give Carolina their fourth straight win going into the All-Star Break and 31st win on the season.
Time for a Break
The Carolina Hurricanes’ next game won’t be until February 7th against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto. Up next is the NHL All-Star Game in Las Vegas where Carolina will send Sebastian Aho and Frederik Andersen to be in the game. Also, head coach Rod Brind’Amour will be there as the coach for the Metropolitan division.
As of right now, the Hurricanes are 31-9-2 on the season with 64 points and a win percentage of .762 so far. They also have a goal differential of plus-49. Furthermore, they currently have three games in hand on the Pittsburgh Penguins and four games on the New York Rangers. The Rangers have 62 points while the Penguins have 61. Talk about a great first half of the season for the Carolina Hurricanes.
With their game schedule in the first 31 days of the new year complete, the #Canes record, by month, thus far this season:
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) January 31, 2022
October: 8-0-0
November: 7-5-1
December: 7-2-0
January: 9-2-1
