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Jeff Skinner had a hat trick, but the Flyers knocked off the Hurricanes in overtime for the third time this season, 4-3, to earn the win.
Three Observations
1. Eddie Lack backstopped Carolina to its fifth point in three games, but the starting job in Carolina is all but settled. While the team has been playing well with Lack in net, the Swedish goaltender has not been a difference maker and was outplayed by counterpart Michal Neuvirth. In 10 of 12 games this season, Lack's save percentage has been less than .900, including two of the past three games.
2. Justin Faulk continues to pile up points, registering an assist and pushing his point streak to five games. While Skinner is the hottest player on the Canes right now, Carolina’s all-star defenseman has four goals and four assists of his own in the last five outings. His 26 points in 31 games ranks third among NHL defensemen, and his 12 power play goals and 14 power play points are tops.
3. Ron Hainsey continues to skate alongside Faulk on Carolina’s top pairing, but the elephant in the room is how long until Noah Hanifin takes that spot. Both Hanifin and Jaccob Slavin have acquitted themselves well as a pairing despite their combined age being four years younger than one of Friday’s opponents, 43-year-old Jaromir Jagr. Hanifin looks more and more ready each day to slide into the No. 2 role, and Slavin could potentially benefit from Hainsey’s experience.
Number To Know
4 — Hat tricks for Skinner since the 2013-14 season. Only Tyler Seguin (six) and Joe Pavelski (four) have as many. Elias Lindholm and Jiri Tlusty are the only other Hurricanes players to record a hat trick in that time frame.
Plus
Jeff Skinner — For all the accomplishments Skinner has in his five plus-year career with the Hurricanes, this current six-game stretch is easily his best. With his three goals Tuesday — his second hat trick in three games — Skinner has nine goals and an assist in his past six outings. Seven of those tallies, including two vs. Philadelphia, were at even strength, and the Skinner that many thought may have disappeared forever is suddenly back in full force. He was rewarded by coach Bill Peters with a season-high 20:56 of ice time.
Minus
Jay McClement — McClement was hemmed in the defensive zone most of the night, and the team needs better than a 3-of-11 effort in the faceoff circle from their fourth-line center. McClement was part of a penalty kill that kept Philadelphia off the board, but too often the Hurricanes were stuck out in their own end, and often McClement was one of the guys on the ice unable to get them out.