Nov 3, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes middle Martin Necas (88) skates in opposition to the Washington Capitals throughout the second interval at Lenovo Middle. Obligatory Credit score: James Guillory-Imagn Photographs The Carolina Hurricanes are discovering other ways to get the job finished, however the frequent theme has been constant successful early on this season.
It hasn’t panned out that manner for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who’ll attempt to break by means of in opposition to the Hurricanes when the groups meet Thursday evening at Raleigh, N.C.
Carolina holds a seven-game successful streak after scoring twice within the ultimate 31 seconds of Tuesday evening’s 6-4 victory in opposition to the Philadelphia Flyers.
“Good groups discover a technique to win,” stated ahead Martin Necas, who had the go-ahead aim for the Hurricanes in that sport.
Pittsburgh’s success has been about as uncommon as Carolina’s losses, making the Penguins clearly a pissed off group.
“We simply must play higher,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan stated.
Carolina’s 9-2-0 file displays the second-fastest it has gotten to the nine-win stage since successful 9 straight to open the 2021-22 season.
But it was a special kind of efficiency in opposition to the Flyers with uneven stretches for Carolina.
“Typically you have to win that manner,” coach Rod Brind’Amour stated. “You are not going to be (flowing) each evening. It is arduous on this league each evening to look good.”
But the Hurricanes contained the Flyers, who put solely a complete of six photographs on aim within the second and third durations mixed.
Necas has a seven-game factors streak, matching the longest in his profession.
“It feels higher than what I used to be used to,” Necas stated. “I used to be at all times assured in myself. Constructing some chemistry.”
His stretch of manufacturing has been among the many highlights for the Hurricanes.
“(Necas) has been unbelievable,” teammate Jack Drury stated.
Whereas youthful gamers and newcomers, equivalent to Jackson Blake and Jack Roslovic, have commanded appreciable consideration to this point this season for the Hurricanes, veterans have been cranking up key manufacturing as nicely. Jordan Martinook notched his first aim of the season Tuesday evening and defenseman Brent Burns had two assists for his first multi-point sport of the season.
The Hurricanes defeated the Penguins 4-1 on Oct. 18 at Pittsburgh. Necas had a aim and an help in that sport.
Frederik Andersen was within the nets for Carolina within the first assembly vs. the Penguins, making 25 saves. He is nursing an damage and will not play on this rematch, which comes because the Hurricanes conclude a four-game homestand.
Alex Nedeljkovic, a former Carolina goalie, has performed the final three video games within the web for the Penguins.
The Penguins had a two-game successful streak snapped with Tuesday evening’s 4-3 shootout setback to the New York Islanders.
“We had alternatives to interrupt it open and we could not,” Sullivan stated.
That was the primary outing in Pittsburgh’s three-game highway journey. Of their final 5 highway outings, the Penguins are 0-3-2.
“We have got two extra video games on this highway journey to come back away with a constructive journey,” Nedeljkovic stated.
Thursday evening’s sport would be the first time the Hurricanes face an opponent for the second time this season.
Pittsburgh has met the Montreal Canadiens twice, successful each of these encounters.
–Area Stage Media
