The Hurricanes showed no ill effects from a back to back with two straight overtimes and managed to get revenge for one of their few losses on the season with a 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins. The only
reason the game wasn’t a shutout was a very late power play goal from the Bruins, but the final score didn’t really indicate just how dominant the Hurricanes were versus their first meeting on November 1.
The first period was a goalie battle, as starters Jeremy Swayman and Pyotr Kochetkov both faced stiff tests early on. The Canes and the Bruins would each have a Power Play, and each would go scoreless. It was clear early on both starters in net were up to the task as both Swayman and Kochetkov stopped excellent chances. The period ended scoreless and the Canes barely outshooting Boston 10-9.
The second period saw Carolina increase the puck barrage, keeping Boston hemmed in to the Canes’ side of the ice. Despite not having a Power Play during the frame, the Canes outshot Boston 13-7, and the only reason it got that high for Boston was a Power Play near the end of the period. By the time that had occurred, the Canes had established a 2-0 lead. From the jump, Carolina seemed to want to put shots on Swayman from the blue line, hoping for rebounds that would bounce the right way. The problem was for a good part of the time is that no one for Carolina was close enough to Swayman to make him pay, even though Swayman was giving up rebounds.
Then Jordan Staal got what can only be described as a tough goal. The whole Staal line worked to keep the puck in the offensive zone—much like every line did for the Canes that period—and it resulted in a situation where Will Carrier was able to zip a pass over to Joel Nystrom. Nystrom shot the puck on Swayman, and this time Staal was in front ready for the rebound. However he and Andrew Peeke were engaged, occupying Stall’s left arm. However, with his right he still had his stick and just shoved a backhanded shot one-armed past Swayman for the 1-o lead.
Five minutes later the commitment to keep the puck in the zone helped the Canes again. This time, Shayne Gostisbehere took a bit of a risk by threading a pass over to Sean Walker just under the stick of a Bruin who could have taken it and skated it in to Kochetkov all alone. Instead, Walker whipped it to Taylor Hall, who put it on net. Instead of hitting Swayman, it hit Mark Jankowski who was able to settle the puck and score, putting the Canes on top 2-0.
Boston came out strong in the third, and outshot the Canes 12-9, but with a 2-0 lead the Canes were able to lock down on defense and didn’t give the Bruins any sort of meaningful good shot on goal. Even when there was a four-on-four after a questionable embellishment call, Boston never was able to really establish themselves in the zone. A late Power Play when it was still 2-0 had the fans in the TD Garden booing as near the end the B’s just skated around the neutral zone. Not too long after the end of that play, with Swayman still in net, the B’s chanced it one too many times. Nystrom was able to dig the puck out of the area behind the goal, push it up the boards where Hall led a breakaway that ended with him doing his best Bobby Orr imitation to put the Canes up 3-0.
A very late penalty as the Garden was emptying led to the B’s only score of the night, as the Canes were unable to preserve the shutout and Riley Tufte stuffed a chance by Kochetkov to wrape up the scoring 3-1.
It was easily Kochetkov’s best outing since his debut against the Rangers, showing that he can perform well against goalies that are not Russian. The Canes performed well despite still missing Jalen Chatfield and Jaccob Slavin. There’s still no word when either will be back, especially as the Hurricanes next square off against the team that injured Chatfield—Minnesota—on Wednesday night in St. Paul. The Canes will then continue on to Winnipeg and Buffalo before an extended stay back in Raleigh for the Thanksgiving Holiday.
