Kucherov, missed opportunities and Tampa’s power play spoil the Hurricanes’ opener

The ice hockey season is officially back for the Carolina Hurricanes. After a sad end to their 2023-24 season, the Canes took the ice for their season opener at Lenovo Center against a powerhouse Tampa Bay Lightning team. Carolina had decent success against the Bolts in two preseason contests, albeit without the usual stars in the lineup.

On Friday night, Jack Roslovic, William Carrier, Sean Walker and Eric Robinson made their official team debuts, while Jackson Blake was the only rookie to take the ice for the Hurricanes. Frederik Andersen secured his fourth straight opening start for the Hurricanes after Rod Brind’Amour kept the decision narrow in advance. It was no surprise that Andrei Vasilevskiy got the starting nod for the Lightning in former Hurricane Jake Guentzel’s team debut.

The offensive was the focus for the Hurricanes in the first third. Most of the time they only had to fire a single shot, assuming that shot was a prime chance for Andrei Svechnikov, partnered with Ryan McDonagh. The longer the period lasted, the more the ice tilted in the Canes’ favor.

While Jordan Martinook didn’t receive an assist for his efforts, the opening goal didn’t come without his pressure on Brandon Hagel. Martinook forced a turnover, allowing William Carrier to rush in and steal the puck before setting up the captain at the front of the net. After a weak start, the Canes went into the break 1-0.

The problem with lighting is how quickly they can turn a game around on special teams. The Canes saw that firsthand last season in their embarrassing 8-2 home loss in November. The deadly triad would even get the Bolts back on the power play. Victor Hedman and Nikita Kucherov set up Brayden Point at the top of the goal area early in midfield to tie the game.

Outside of Point’s goal, the Hurricanes were the better team in the second period. Beating Vasilevskiy is easier said than done and he made it very difficult for the Canes after conceding the first goal. Jack Roslovic was stoned in a breakaway. The Aho Line had a dozen chances during a whirlwind that stayed outside the net. At the end of the quarter the score remained 1-1.

The third period was the Nikita Kucherov Show. The Bolts’ superstar scored three goals in the final nine minutes, starting with a one-timer on the power play with 8:54 left to give the Lightning the lead. He scored two goals into an empty net, including the dagger as he cherry-picked the final seconds to secure a 4-1 win for Tampa Bay. Kucherov finished the night with four points, while Hedman added three assists and Guentzel contributed a pair of apples.

This was not the start to the season the Carolina Hurricanes had envisioned. The Canes’ chances came in the first 40 minutes, especially after Jordan Staal’s opening goal late in the first period. The Bolts had more of a lead in the third period, outscoring the home team in the last 20 games.

The biggest setback against the Hurricanes in the opening game was their power play. They only managed a shot on their fourth attempt in the third period. The first session passed the puck far too often instead of putting the puck in the net and trying to create chances. Things weren’t going right for them, which made them painful to watch at times. I can’t give the penalty kill too much grief, despite two quick goals from the Lightning on six attempts.

On the bright side, the Staal line was phenomenal. William Carrier was a perfect fit for Jesper Fast. They generated the most dangerous chances for the Canes. Andrei Svechnikov also had a good night. He finished the game with a team-high five shots, including some good chances in the first and second periods. Jackson Blake got a little lost in the hustle and bustle, but made a nice aerial pass to Jaccob Slavin to put him on a breakaway. Frederik Andersen was good too. He stopped things from getting worse early on, although it looked like he was caught heading for Point’s goal.

Next: It was supposed to be the first half of a clash with the Lightning, but Hurricane Milton forced the league to cancel the second half on Saturday in Tampa. Instead, the Canes won’t play until the New Jersey Devils come to Raleigh on Tuesday. This will be the last home game before the State Fair comes to town, forcing the Hurricanes to play on the road for their next six games. The extra days could be a good thing for the Canes after a lackluster start.