Showing a level of urgency that isn’t always present, the Carolina Hurricanes controlled the pace, nearly doubling the shots on goal as their opponent, and capitalizing twice on the power play.
The Canes (17-8-2) came out of the gate firing shot after shot at goaltender Juuse Saros, earning a 6-3 win against the Nashville Predators (10-14-4). Wingers Jackson Blake and Nikolaj Ehlers had standout nights, securing three points apiece — Ehler’s first three-point game with the Hurricanes — showcasing their chemistry as linemates.
“[Blake] especially had a real solid game tonight,” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour. “You don’t even have to know hockey to watch how he stands out almost every shift. It’s nice to see him get rewarded. He’s really put in a good, solid 25 games.”
The first two goals were both on the power play and less than two minutes apart, marking the first game of the season that the Canes had a multi–power-play-goal night. Winger Taylor Hall took the credit for the first goal after a deflected puck bounced off his skate into the net. Ehlers, on the one-timer, fired the puck past Saros and gave the Canes some breathing room.
“It was just kind of a little muck fest going on there in front of the net,” Blake said. “I thought it was a pretty good play by [Stankoven] to find a way to get it to the net, and that’s what you have to do on the power play. Sometimes the simpler the better, and that’s what came there, and we got pretty fortunate with that one, so it was good.”
The only goal of the second period, and fourth goal for the Canes was awarded to Blake, who received the pass from Ehlers. Blake skated the puck through the Predator’s zone, around the defense and flicked it into the net past Saros, scoring the game-winner.
The final period saw a little less intensity and control of the pace from the Canes. The Predators found their spark and gained momentum and aggression. Former Hurricane, winger Michael Bunting, got the Predators on the board with a power play goal and ended goaltender Brandon Bussi’s six-period shut out streak. Even though Bussi let in three goals, he ended with a .864 save percentage and increased his record to 8-1-0.
“Every game you’re going to need that,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s very rare that you can go through a game and you don’t need your goalie to make saves. It’s a different game if it goes the other way…So the timely saves are crucial, and that’s what he’s been giving us.”
On the other end of the ice, Saros wasn’t having nearly as good a night. The sixth and final goal from the Canes got Saros booted out of the net and sent to the locker room. Goaltender Justus Annunen took his place less than halfway through the third, and stopped every puck sent his way.
The Hurricanes host the San Jose Sharks on Sunday, Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. at the Lenovo Center.