Deadline acquisitions Guentzel and Kuznetsov each record their first points with the Canes in the win
By Spencer Knight – @stormsurge_pod / stormsurgepod.com
March 15, 2024
Raleigh, NC – The NHL leading Florida Panthers visited Raleigh last night for a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in three weeks. The result was the same, as the Hurricanes held the Panthers scoreless for the second straight meeting. While the last meeting was a goalie duel down to the last 20 seconds of play, this game saw the lamp lit within the first 20 minutes. The Canes offense was ready to play, as was their goaltender. Frederick Andersen stopped all 21 shots he faced in route to his first shutout of the season.
Picking Up Where They Left Off
These two teams have built a strong rivalry over the past few years and there is no holding back. Hits came early and often and almost every stoppage in play resulted in a minor skirmish. Less than 4 minutes in, Matthew Tkachuk took exception to an Aho shot at the whistle leading to a kerfuffle resulting in penalties for Tkachuk, Aho, and Svechnikov. On the ensuing penalty kill, Andersen answered the call to be the best penalty-killer on the ice with a crucial save on a Carter Verhaeghe shot.
The Hurricanes later got two power play chances in the first and Bobrovsky was up to the task, reminiscent of his ECF performance. Finally, with just under a minute left, Jarvis picked the corner to take a 1-0 lead. A stretch pass from Slavin to Staal then found its way to Jarvis to take advantage of the opportunity.
Pedal Down
With the offense finally breaking through after failing to score against the Rangers, the Canes returned for the second with some newfound confidence. The Guentzel, Kuznetsov, and Necas line, who generated the most chances against the Rangers, lead the charge in the second. Less than three minutes into the second period, Necas was ready for a rebound and got it through Bobrovsky to double the lead. About five minutes later, Evgeny Kuznetsov scored his first with the Canes to make it 3-0. With an assist on the Necas goal, Jake Guentzel recorded his first point with the Hurricanes.
But it wasn’t just the offense that excelled this period. The first period saw some loose play by the Canes, resulting in an early 6-1 shot deficit. This was rectified in the first, which ended with a 12-10 lead for the Canes, and enhanced in the second where only 7 shots were allowed. Any chances that weren’t broken up by the defense were handled by Freddie, holding a 3-0 lead to the break.
One Last Piece of Business
Having learned the hard way against Winnipeg, the Hurricanes did not take the 3-0 lead for granted. The defense remained stalwart, allowing just 4 shots to reach their goaltender. Florida pulled their goalie with about 5 minutes to go in the period, and the empty net king Andrei Svechnikov made them pay increasing the lead to 4-0.
Solid defensive play and a stellar performance in net earned Andersen his 25th career shutout. He has allowed just three goals in the three games he’s played since returning from his blood clotting issue. He also boasts a .955 save percentage and a 1.01 goals against average. Once a big issue for this team, goaltending has been its biggest strength over the past month.
Postgame Quotes
Frederik Andersen – “I’m just having fun. I don’t show it too much, but I’m loving it out there. It’s really fun being in this room again with everyone.”
Evgeny Kuznetsov – “I understand why I’m here and why this team (brought me in). Not just to be the funny guy and smile. They need us to perform, get the points, and help the team. It felt like today was the day we had to step up.”
Coming Up Next
The Canes are off to Canada this weekend, with a back-to-back set against Toronto on Saturday and Ottawa on Sunday. Then it’s back to the States for a Tuesday matchup on Long Island.
Looking for More Canes Content?
Find our podcast episodes here.
Check out more written articles here.
