Over the weekend, the Carolina Hurricanes faced off against Metropolitan division foes from Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh and Philadephia. The games would be split for the Hurricanes in a win over the Flyers, and a loss to the Penguins. How did the Canes from Raleigh get those results? Let us dive in.
Hurricanes Scratch Out Win Over Flyers
The Hurricanes hosted the Philadephia Flyers on Saturday afternoon in Raleigh. Carolina was looking to extend their home points streak to 13 games. The last time the two teams met, the Canes scrapped out a win in Philadephia after playing their third game in four days. This time, the team was looking to deal another blow to their divisional opponent.
The first period didn’t see any goals between the two sides. Although, things would be different in the second period. At the 8:34 mark of the period. Steven Lorentz would start the scoring for both teams. Lorentz would receive the puck beside the net after a pass came from Derek Stepan from behind the net. Stepan, who was playing in his 800th career NHL game, would claim his 500th point as Lorentz would bury it behind the Flyers goaltender in Martin Jones. Mid-celebration, Lorentz would break away from the rest of the team and retrieve Stepan’s 500th point puck. That would cap off a double milestone for the journeyman in Stepan. Furthermore, that goal would become Lorentz’s seventh goal of the season along with Stepan’s eighth assist and Jalen Chatfield‘s third.
This is called chemistry ?? pic.twitter.com/7CLMRAEVQC
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) March 12, 2022
Although, Philadelphia would tie the game up 1-1 at the 16:50 mark of the period. Derick Brassard would give the Flyers their only tally of the game. At the time it seemed like it would be like that last game between the two where it came down to the wire to find a winner. However, fate would play differently between the two sides in the third period.
Carolina Adds Two More to Secure Win
As the game was winding down, it seemed like the game was destined to go into overtime. Although, that would not be the case in way of Jordan Martinook. At the 16:10 mark of the period, Vincent Trocheck was gliding along the blue line in the Flyers zone looking for an alley to shoot in. Trocheck found his lane to shoot in and wristed it towards the net. However, it would be Martinook with the goal as he tipped the puck and redirected it into the net to make it a 2-1 game for Carolina. The hand-eye coordination was stellar from Martinoook on that play. Furthermore, the goal would become his third of the season along with Trocheck’s 24th assist and Ian Cole‘s 12th.
Marty decided to party ? pic.twitter.com/mFbLd8i0gv
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) March 12, 2022
The final goal would come at the 19:39 mark of the period on an empty-net goal scored by Sebastian Aho. He would claim his 26th goal of the season along with Andrei Svechnikov‘s 29th assist. That would all but seal the deal for a Carolina Hurricanes win. It would be their thirteenth-straight game with a point at home. Furthermore, it would break their losing streak on national television. Up next in their back-to-back was on the road in Pittsburgh to face the Penguins.
Carolina Falls in Pittsurgh
Carolina was coming into Pittsburgh looking for their fifth-straight win. The Hurricanes defeated the Penguins back on March 4th, 3-2 at home in Raleigh. If the team came out victorious, that would be their second win against the Penguins in the five-game stretch. Unfortunately, that would not be the case on Sunday.
NHL journeyman Brian Boyle, who would be on his eighth team, would score the lone goal in the first period. It would come very late into the first period at the 18:50 mark to make it 1-0 Pittsburgh. Danton Heinen would double the Penguins’ lead in the second period. His goal would make it 2-0 Pittsburgh at the 11:14 mark of the period. For whatever reason, Carolina could not figure out Tristan Jarry as he had managed to stop every shot in the first two periods. Although, Carolina would finally breakthrough in the third period.
Hurricanes Rally Comes Up Short
The Hurricanes would finally get past Jarry in the third period off of a Brett Pesce goal at the 4:40 mark of the period. The puck was getting banged around in the Penguins zone while both teams tried to get possession of it. Fortunately for Carolina, Trocheck would get the puck onto his stick and pass it to the slot to an open Brett Pesce. Pesce would load up and snap the puck with a nasty wrister to go top shell past Jarry on his glove side. The goal would finally get Carolina on the board and cut the lead down to one. That would be Pesce’s fifth goal of the season. Also, that would end up being Trocheck’s 25th assist and Brady Skjei‘s 18th.
Pesce picked his spot in Pittsburgh! pic.twitter.com/Lc8C0NKkAd
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) March 13, 2022
Unfortunately, the Penguins would regain their two-goal lead after a Sidney Crosby goal at the 18:21 mark of the period. It gave fans a weird feeling like this could make the task much more difficult for Carolina to tie this up and send it into overtime. Although, Sebastian Aho would make it once again a one-goal game after scoring just 14 seconds later to make it 3-2 Pittsburgh. His goal would become his 27th of the season. Furthermore, Jordan Staal would claim his 14th assist of the season along with Teuvo Teräväinen‘s 31st.
AHOOOOO pic.twitter.com/2qIk4WF63v
— Bally Sports: Canes (@CanesOnBally) March 13, 2022
There seemed to be a sense that maybe the Hurricanes can pull this one back and force overtime after all. Nonetheless, that would not happen for Carolina. Pittsburgh Penguins forward, Zach Aston-Reese, would score at the 19:48 mark of the period to ice the game. It would end up becoming a 4-2 win for the Penguins. Carolina would only manage two points in their back-to-back against their Pennsylvania foes from the Metropolitan division.
What is Next?
The Carolina Hurricanes will not play again until Thursday night in their first of a back-to-back on the road in Toronto to play against the Maple Leafs. After that, they will finish their back-to-back on that Friday against the Washington Capitals at home. Both games will be played at 7 pm eastern.
