The Carolina Hurricanes wrapped up their four-game road trip with stops in Boston, Massachusetts and St. Paul, Minnesota. They would finish their regular-season series against the Boston Bruins and face a highly-touted Minnesota Wild team. The Bruins game was completely dominated by Carolina. Although, just like the Ontario trip, a late start would hurt the Hurricanes against the Wild. How did those games play out? Let us begin:
Shipped Up to Boston for a Win
Carolina was coming into the Boston game looking for the regular-season sweep of the Bruins. If they did so, it would have been the second time in franchise history that it occurred. The last time came in the 2011-2012 season. Right from the get-go, it was all Carolina in this game.
At the 8:26 mark of the first period, Vincent Trocheck would get the scoring started for Carolina. He was Johnny-on-the-spot as he picked up a loose rebound from an initial Teuvo Teräväinen shot and slotted it past Bruins netminder Linus Ullmark. Somehow the Bruins defense did not pick up Trocheck who just planted himself right in front of the Boston net. After Teräväinen took the shot, it would bounce off Ullmark’s pads and right onto the stick of Trocheck. All he had to do was bury it home and he did. That would be Trocheck’s 13th goal of the season along with Teräväinen‘s 22nd assist and Andrei Svechnikov‘s 23rd.
You knew Vinny would get on the scoresheet ? pic.twitter.com/lrbH2uO84t
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 11, 2022
Hurricanes Turn Up the Heat
That would end up being the only goal of the first period. Although, the Hurricanes would explode for three goals in the second period. Furthermore, the guy to start it off was none other than Andrei Svechnikov. At the 2:35 mark of the period, the Bruins were trying to clear the puck, but they made the one mistake you never want to make on defense; pass the puck to no man’s land in front of the net. Actually, their second mistake was giving the puck to Svechnikov with no one around him. Svechnikov took the puck onto his stick and finished with an absolute snipe top shelf on Ullmark’s stick side. Ullmark had no time to save that shot which would give Carolina a 2-0 lead. Plus, that would give Svechnikov his 18th goal of the season.
Snipe City ? pic.twitter.com/vlpVPmPZBs
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 11, 2022
Hello Mr. Aho
The third Carolina goal was none other than sensational from Finnish forward Sebastian Aho. The whole play that started to lead up to the goal was when Teräväinen took a pass into the zone and passed it over to a wide-open Martin Necas. Necas keeping his head up tried to throw it back to Teräväinen in front of the net but got deflected off his stick to a streaking Aho on the far side of the net. Luckily, Aho got there just in time to tip it past Ullmark, while falling down, to make it a 3-0 Carolina lead at the 8:01 mark of the period. That would be Aho’s first of two goals on the night. Furthermore, that would be Teräväinen‘s second assist on the night as well (23rd assist) and Necas’ 16th on the year.
Seabass in a flash pic.twitter.com/Zcx0urV7ia
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 11, 2022
The last goal of the period came at the 14:02 mark of the second period off of the stick of Brett Pesce. Although, it was the pass by Jesper Fast that made this play sensational. After three attempts by Carolina captain Jordan Staal, Fast grabbed the loose puck, saw that Pesce was open, and just dished it to him between his legs. After that, all Pesce had to do was take a wide-open shot at the net, and he did. That would make the game 4-0 for the Hurricanes. It would end up being Pesce’s 3rd goal of the season along with Fast’s eighth assist and Staal’s 11th.
He’s feeling 22 pic.twitter.com/pWFflIX7Iz
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 11, 2022
Hey Hurricanes, Why not Add Two More?
The first Aho goal earlier was mentioned as sensational? Well, let that be rephrased…the SECOND Aho goal was way more mesmerizing than his first goal. Svechnikov would take the puck and throw it across the net to Teräväinen would look like he had a shot. Although, the pass ended up making him spin around and find an open Sebastian Aho back on Svechnikov’s side of the net. While the spin-around pass was really amazing, the goal by Aho was pure sorcery. Aho took the puck off his skate to his stick, which was already between his legs, and would just shovel it him ever so slightly past Ullmark to make it a 5-0 Hurricanes lead. The Carolina broadcasters were left speechless from the Aho between the legs goal.
That would be Aho’s 21st goal of the season along with Teräväinen’s third assist, third, of the game, and his 24th of the season. Furthermore, that would end up being Svechnikov’s 24th assist of the season as well.
This was sexy pic.twitter.com/0KeBYsq4ep
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 11, 2022
The final goal of the game came from Jordan Staal at the 15:24 mark of the third period. He would deflect a shot from the point from Brady Skjei. The goal was originally given to Skjei, but was given to Staal after the replay showed it ever so slightly getting tipped off of his stick. It’s safe to say that everyone on Carolina is glad that Staal got the goal. It was much needed from the captain to get one.
Hurricanes Take Season Series Sweep of Boston
The game ended 6-0 and Carolina would get the regular-season sweep of the Bruins for the first time since the 2011-2012 season. The Hurricanes would outscore the Bruins 16-1 in all three games these teams faced each other this season. Furthermore, Frederik Andersen would end up posting a 3-0-0 record along with a goals-against-average of 0.33 and a .990 save percentage. Furthermore, Andersen had two shutouts as well. Talk about dominance for Carolina against Boston this season.
Hurricanes Fall Short to Wild
The Carolina Hurricanes traveled to St. Paul, Minnesota to take on the high-flying offense in the Minnesota Wild. Although there were not any goals in the first period, the second period saw the Wild strike first. Minnesota’s Kevin Fiala would make it 1-0 at the 10:14 mark of the second period. Up until that point, both teams kept trading high-scoring chances but Andersen and Cam Talbot just were stooping everything they saw.
The third period looked bleak for the Hurricanes as they fell down 3-0 behind a pair of goals from Kirill Kaprizov and Frederick Gaudreau. Kaprizov’s came at the 1:16 mark and Gaudreau’s at the 2:34 mark of the period. Barely three minutes into the period and Carolina was in a deep hole. Although, the Hurricanes showed why all season that no lead is ever safe and that there’s no quit in this team.
Mista Svechnikov Puts Carolina on his Back
Andrei Svechnikov went otherworldly in the third period to almost bring Carolina back to evening up the game. At the 5:02 mark of the third, Svechnilov would take a pass from Jaccob Slavin, and skate into the Minnesota zone. He managed to get the puck on his forehand and snipe a shot off the post past Talbot to make it a 3-1 game. He brought some life to the Hurricanes team who needed anything to get the offense going in the third period. Furthermore, that would be his first goal of the game along with his 19th of the season. Plus, that assist from Slavin would be his 23rd on the season along with Tony DeAngelo‘s 29th assist.
The second Svechnikov goal came on the powerplay not even a minute and 21 seconds later off of a magnificent cross-ice pass from Teuvo Teräväinen. The pass was right in Svechnikov’s wheelhouse as he went down to one knee and rocketed a shot past Talbot to make it a 3-2 Wild lead.
One video, two Svech goals ? pic.twitter.com/nmEFMc80mX
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 13, 2022
At that point, it seemed like Carolina would do another miraculous comeback. Unfortunately, Talbot stood on his head and held on to give Minnesota a 3-2 win over Carolina. The early 3-0 hole to start the first three minutes of the third period was too much to overcome for Carolina.
What is Next for the Hurricanes?
The Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes do not play again until Wednesday, February 16th against the Florida Panthers at home and then again on Friday against the Nashville Predators. The Hurricanes sit at 32-11-3 on the season with 67 points. They currently lead the Pittsburgh Penguins by one point with two games in hand. Furthermore, Carolina leads the New York Rangers by three points with a game in hand. As long as the Hurricanes beat the Florida Panthers who have the best points percentage, and the most points, in the Eastern Conference they should be fine keeping their lead in the Metropolitan. Every team has a so-so week and this happened to be Carolina’s. Nonetheless, teams shouldn’t take Carolina for granted because when they’re on, they’re on.
My name is Zach Martin, the Carolina Hurricanes beat writer for Belly Up Hockey and Belly Up Sports. Check out my Carolina Hurricanes podcast called The SurgeCast on Twitter and all podcast platforms. Follow me on Twitter for the most up-to-date Carolina Hurricanes content and news.
