NHL Game Recap: Arizona Coyotes Vs. Carolina Hurricanes| 02/16/2024

Credit: James Guillory - USA Today Sports

The Carolina Hurricanes made landfall in Tempe on Friday night to take on the Arizona Coyotes, and from early on, it was all Hurricanes – all night.

Carolina began the onslaught less than:20 seconds in when Jordan Martinook netted his ninth of the season due to a puck mishandle by Karel Vejmelka, and the Hurricanes jumped out to an early lead, 1-0, assisted by Jordan Staal.

Just under four and a half minutes later, Jalen Chatfield locked away his fifth goal of the season, with Martin Necas grabbing his first of three points on the evening while Jack Drury grabbed his 15th assist on the season, 2-0.

With under six minutes on the clock in the first period, the Coyotes grabbed one back when Dylan Guenther grabbed a neutral zone turnover and converted it into a lead-slicing goal heading into intermission, 2-1.

The Coyotes started the 2nd period on the power play after Brady Skjei was assessed a tripping minor at the end of the first. Nothing came of the opportunity, the first of three power plays the Coyotes had on the night.

Seth Jarvis expanded the Hurricanes lead 6:28 into the second on an unassisted goal, sniping a shot over Vejmelka’s blocker, 3-1.

Teuvo Teravainen sent a lost puck past Vejmelka under 10 minutes later to expand the Hurricanes lead to 4-1, with Necas grabbing his second point of the night Skjei making up for his penalty, nabbing the secondary assist.

Ex-Coyote Michael Bunting made his presence known, by tricking a puck through Vejmelka’s legs. Necas grabbed his third point of the night, and Drury found the scoresheet again with the secondary.

Vejmelka was pulled with 13:39 to play in the game as Matthew Villalta slid in between the pipes.

Coyotes Head Coach Andre Tourigny said he put Villalta in to allow him to “get his feet wet a little bit and have a feel for the game.”

Villalta expressed personal gratitude to get the moment and said it was a “cool moment” for himself to see ice time tonight.

Seeing the opportunity was “overall a good feeling” for Villalta, who “tried to get a bit sweaty” using “mental cues” and was ready to “get-er going and fire it up” when his number was called.

Villalta started the season with the Coyotes minor league affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners who, despite an 8-1 loss on Friday, sit second in the AHL’s Pacific Division.

“We got a pretty special group,” Villalta said. “We’re all just having a lot of fun down there, and obviously, when you’re winning hockey games, that’s a lot more fun too.”

Villalta continued to express his gratitude for the situation in Tucson by saying he was “honored to have the opportunity to have a starting role in Tucson” and credited the team for his 2.58 goals against average and .913 save percentage.

“The boys have been playing great and have been making me look good.”

Despite chances being created, on offensive breakouts leading to odd-man rushes, the Coyotes were unable to convert in the third, and Carolina ships out to off to Vegas for night two of a back-to-back, meeting the Golden Knights on Saturday.

The Coyotes have Saturday off before a back-to-back with the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena, then hosting the Edmonton Oilers in a Monday afternoon matinee.

ITR 45: Everything Is Happening Inside The Rink

Join Chris and Conrad as they get you up-to-date on all the latest signings and trades heading into Free Agent Frenzy!
  1. ITR 45: Everything Is Happening
  2. ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again
  3. ITR 43: It's Winning Time
  4. ITR 42: Ripe For Repeat?
  5. ITR 41: Stanley Cup Final – The Rematch

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

James Mackey

Arizona State Journalism Major Covering the Chicago Blackhawks and hockey in Arizona.

Leave a Reply

Gavin McKenna skating

Gavin McKenna Reportedly Committing to Penn State University

The projected first overall draft selection in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft is reportedly taking his talents to the NCAA. After weeks of speculation on where Gavin McKenna would play in the 2025-26 season, the reports started heating up that he’d be playing in the NCAA. Today, Cam Robinson, alongside others, reported the news that […]

Read More

AHL: Manitoba Moose Sign Alex Worthington

The Manitoba Moose have added to their organization’s goaltending depth by signing Alex Worthington to a two-year contract that will expire at the end of the 2026-27 season. The 6-foot-3 netminder recently finished up participating in his second Winnipeg Jets development camp and has continuously looked to improve his game. Getting looks at Worthington in […]

Read More

Mason Shaw Re-Signs in Winnipeg

The Winnipeg Jets have re-signed forward Mason Shaw to a one-year, two-way contract worth an average annual value in the NHL of $775,000. Shaw is coming off his first season in the Winnipeg Jets organization, playing for the Manitoba Moose and posting a team-leading 37 points (17G, 20A) in 72 games. The Moose’s alternate captain […]

Read More