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As the saying goes, good teams find ways to win, and the Carolina Hurricanes did just that on Monday, scratching out an overtime win against the Nashville Predators. Sure, the games where you dominate the opponent and have a clear path to victory from the very first puck drop are thrilling to watch. But sometimes, it’s the sloppy games that tell you the most about a team.
Who steps up? Who puts the team on their back to claw their way to two points, no matter what? Is your team able to take advantage of the opponent’s mistakes?
On Monday night, the Hurricanes took advantages of the missteps that led the Predators to the penalty box, and Jordan Staal led the way. In an emotional game that saw perhaps too much physicality, seeing the captain step up and deliver a victory makes the win all the more satisfying.
Vital Statistics
| Category | Hurricanes | Blue Jackets |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Hurricanes | Blue Jackets |
| Record | 21-7-3 | 13-13-7 |
| Goals/Game | 3.23 | 2.54 |
| Goals Against/Game | 2.48 | 3.12 |
| Shots/Game | 31.52 | 28.70 |
| Face Off Win % | 54.4% | 46.2% |
| Power Play % (Rank) | 30.6% (1st) | 14.8% (26th) |
| Penalty Kill % (Rank) | 82.9% (9th) | 74.0% (26th) |
| ES Corsi For % | 53.04% | 46.16% |
| ES PDO | 100.96 | 99.42 |
| PIM/Game | 07:21 | 06:43 |
Goaltender #1
| Category | James Reimer | Joonas Korpisalo |
|---|---|---|
| Category | James Reimer | Joonas Korpisalo |
| Record | 12-4-1 | 8-10-5 |
| Save % | 0.909 | .900 |
| GAA | 2.68 | 2.98 |
Goaltender #2
| Category | Alex Nedeljkovic | Elvis Merzlikins |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Alex Nedeljkovic | Elvis Merzlikins |
| Record | 7-2-2 | 5-3-2 |
| Save % | .930 | .912 |
| GAA | 1.96 | 2.91 |
Game Notes
- Tonight will be Jaccob Slavin’s 400th NHL game. Congratulations to the still somehow underrated defenseman!
- The Predators will of course be without Dante Fabbro, who has been suspended two games for elbowing Brock McGinn.
- The Hurricanes have won all three of their matchups against the struggling Predators this season. It’s been a long, slow tumble down the standings since Nashville’s appearance in the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals; as of today, the Predators are in sixth place in the division, ahead of only Dallas (who have several games in hand due to COVID postponements) and Detroit.
- Don’t look now, but the Hurricanes are just one point behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Lightning. With the Lightning facing off against the Red Wings tonight, it’s likely that they’ll pick up two points; ideally, the Hurricanes pick up two points in order to keep pace.
- The six-game winning streak that the Hurricanes are on is currently the longest active such streak in the NHL, tied with the New York Islanders, who have very quietly racked up six consecutive wins, as well.
- The Hurricanes’ red-hot start to the season isn’t just impressive for how it’s sent them rocketing up the standings; it’s also the best start through the season’s first 25 games in franchise history.
Here come the #Canes pic.twitter.com/Lo8TVIWnfr
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) March 10, 2021