The Hurricanes have established themselves as a streaky team early on, winning two straight on the road early but then cooling off to hockey .500. The Hurricanes will face a tough test yet again tonight as they take on the second best team in the Eastern Conference in enemy territory. The club will need to find some consistent scoring presence if they want to pick up points and avoid falling below the midway line for the first time this season.
Vital Statistics
| Category |
Hurricanes |
Bruins |
| Category |
Hurricanes |
Bruins |
| Record |
8-6 |
11-5 |
| Goals/Game |
2.79 |
3.31 |
| Goals Against/Game |
2.71 |
2.06 |
| Shots/Game |
30.9 |
34.3 |
| Faceoff % |
49.1% |
53.3% |
| Power Play % (Rank) |
10.0% (14) |
31.9% (1) |
| Penalty Kill % (Rank) |
70.8% (14) |
85.7% (4) |
| ES Corsi For % |
55.61% |
51.66% |
| ES PDO |
101.2% |
101.0 |
| PIM/Game |
8:38 |
6:30 |
Goaltender #1
| Category |
Petr Mrazek |
Tuukka Rask |
| Category |
Petr Mrazek |
Tuukka Rask |
| Record |
5-5 |
11-5 |
| Save % |
.894 |
.939 |
| GAA |
2.73 |
1.96 |
Goaltender #2
| Category |
Curtis McElhinney |
Jaroslav Halak |
| Category |
Curtis McElhinney |
Jaroslav Halak |
| Record |
3-1 |
0-0 |
| Save % |
.943 |
N/A |
| GAA |
1.70 |
N/A |
Game Notes
- Tonight will be the first of three games between the Hurricanes and the Maple Leafs this season. Only one will be in Carolina, when the Leafs visit PNC Arena the day after Thanksgiving.
- The Leafs are a dominant 7-2-0 on the season, only losing one game out of five at home.
- Toronto is only one goal short of leading the league in goals this season with 40 scored. The Hurricanes faced the leading goal scoring team on Tuesday night in the Tampa Bay Lightning, who scored five times. The Hurricanes defense will need to be on top of things tonight against a very potent offense.
- Toronto defensemen Ron Hainsey is very familiar in Carolina, having played 300 games for the club between 2013 and 2017. Hainsey recorded 15 goals and 43 assists wearing red.
- Tonight marks the first game of a back-to-back series for the Canes. They will face the St. Louis Blues tomorrow night on home ice.
-
Cam Ward is just one game shy of passing Adam Burt (626) for 7th on the Hurricanes’ all-time games played list.
- The Hurricanes lead the series all-time with a 62-38-15-1 record, including a 31-20-7 record in Toronto.
Storm Advisory
- This is a must listen: assistant coach Rod Brind’Amour appeared with Adam and Joe on 99.9 The Fan yesterday to discuss the Hurricanes’ start to the season. Among the highlights: “It’s early. You don’t want to get too...whatever.” And some thoughts on how Jeff Skinner can keep up his hot start. [WRALSportsFan]
- Check out yesterday’s new Tweetmail piece from Michael Smith. [Hurricanes]
- The Coyotes have had a historically bad start to the season. When will they find their elusive first win? [ProHockeyTalk]
- The Hartford Whalers were mentioned yesterday in the Columbus Dispatch. The reason? The city’s MLS team, the Columbus Crew, is facing relocation, and a few original Blue Jackets know the feeling well. [Dispatch]
- For context: the grown man mentioned herein is Canes media relations manager Pace Sagester, who was in elementary school back in O’Neill’s Eye of the Storm days.
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