NHL Game Recap: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Utah Hockey Club

RALEIGH, North Carolina: The Carolina Hurricanes came through on their final game before the Four Nations break with a 7-3 win over the Utah Hockey Club at home. It was Utah’s first game in Raleigh after the franchise shuttered from Arizona last season.

The matinee was Carolina’s first game at home since February 1, and the team’s first win since January 30. Carolina had been on a three-game losing streak for the month of February, with losses to the Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets, and Minnesota Wild, respectively.

Recently acquired Hurricanes right-winger Mikko Rantanen did not play today’s game due to a lower-body injury. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour stated that Rantanen had been “nicked up” at the end of Thursday’s game against the Wild. Brind’Amour also described Rantanen’s injury as “not serious-serious… not where it’s long-term.”

FIRST PERIOD

The Carolina Hurricanes starting lineup was:

Svechnikov — Staal — Martinook

Chatfield — Orlov

Kochetkov

The first period began with goaltending. Carolina came into the game early with shots on goal, while Utah goaltender Karmel Vejmelka shut down almost all attempts until the tenth minute. At 10:09 in the first period, Carolina defenseman Jalen Chatfield, from a patient pass by captain Jordan Staal, scored to place the Hurricanes ahead at 1-0. Staal’s assist powered him to maintain the second-most points on the team since January 1. Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov was also credited with an assist. Svechnikov’s point not only furthered five points in five games, but led to assists in back-to-back games. Svechnikov has also led the team in powerplay goals (9) and shots (151) for this season.

Carolina defenseman Brent Burns led to the game’s first penalty, as he was called for tripping at 15:57. Utah defenseman Ian Cole (and former Hurricane) was sent to the book for hooking at 18:16. Capitalizing off of their powerplay opportunity, Utah forward Josh Doan scored to tie the game. Utah’s Matias Maccelli and Michael Carcone were credited with assists. By the end of the first period, Utah had 8 shots on goal. Carolina had 16.

SECOND PERIOD

Goaltending also kept the early minutes of the second period afloat, similarly to the first. With turnovers on both ends of the ice, saves from Vejmelka and Kochetkov kept the game at an even matchup. Shortly after the fourteenth minute, Utah forward Nick Bjugstead took a penalty for tripping.

The Carolina Hurricanes are not a team well-known for their powerplay. Brind’Amour stated after Thursday’s game that “(our) powerplay stinks… (I’ll) just leave it at that.” This time, from a Burns pass, Carolina right-winger Seth Jarvis sent a slapshot through the Utah net, placing the Hurricanes ahead at a 2-1 lead. Svechnikov had his second assist of the night on the goal, and boosted Jarvis to his twenty-first goal of the season. He currently leads the Hurricanes in scoring. Utah called a thirty-second timeout, which traditionally tends to happen later in games. Utah head coach Andre Tourigny did not challenge.

Three minutes later, Vejmelka came out of the net to attempt a poke-check. Carolina forward Sebastian Aho got in the empty crease to score, furthering the Canes’ lead to 3-1. Utah evened the game through a Dmitry Orlov turnover, with star left-winger Clayton Keller barreling down the ice reminiscent to Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon; scoring on Kochetkov to thin the Carolina lead. Shortly afterwards, at 14:47 in the period, Aho placed himself on “hatty watch” through a shorthanded goal assisted by Jarvis and Chatfield.

Utah’s Alex Kerfoot took his elbow to Carolina rookie Jackson Blake’s head later in the period. Burns dropped the gloves with Kerfoot, but did not throw a punch. Burns took a roughing penalty, putting Utah back on the powerplay. Carolina successfully killed the penalty, but not without more jawing between teams. Svechnikov and Doan were briefly physical with each other (no hits taken on either end), and Kochetkov ventured to center ice to challenge Vejmelka to a goalie fight. Kochetkov was escorted back to the crease by officials.

The period ended on a Seth Jarvis goal, also placing him on “hatty watch.” Assisted by Blake, Jarvis scored off of the faceoff.

THIRD PERIOD

Carolina two-time Lady Byng winner Jaccob Slavin found himself in the penalty box for tripping early in the third period. This penalty was Slavin’s sixth penalty minute of the season, keeping things still on the lower side for Carolina defensemen. Yet again, Keller scored on the Utah powerplay, bringing the score to 5-3. He was assisted by Mikhail Sergachev and Dylan Guenther.

Utah pulled Vejmelka, and both Aho and Jarvis passed the puck to Carolina right-winger Jordan Martinook, who scored his tenth goal of the season. Martinook’s goal brought the score to a 6-3 game in favor of Carolina. To end the game and celebrate his 500th NHL game, Canes forward Jack Roslovic scored from a Juha Jääskä pass. The final score was 7-3, Carolina.

The evening’s three stars were Chatfield, Aho, and Jarvis.

Jarvis (CAN), Aho (FIN), Rantanen (FIN), and Slavin (USA) will all represent the Hurricanes for their respective countries at the Four Nations tournament, which begins on Wednesday. Aho and Rantanen both will serve as alternate captains for Team Finland.

Aho called the task “an honor just to represent (your country), especially wearing a letter. It’s a massive honor for me.” Elaborating on his leadership and what he anticipates will translate from his time as an alternate captain in Carolina, he stated, “(I’m) just trying to be myself, whether or not I wear a letter. (I) don’t try to be any different whether I wear a letter or not.” He described Rantanen as an “unbelievable player… super excited to play with him.”

Jarvis, who was a “dark horse” pick for Team Canada, described the experience of Four Nations as “a blast… (I) can’t wait to get down there, meet everybody, be around the team, and enjoy the environment for as long as (I) can.” He elaborated, saying that his “locker room presence…. that’s probably the reason why (Team Canada) picked (me)… someone who can come into a locker room and make an impact that way. Excited to be around the guys and hopefully build relationships and hopefully get on the ice with (the Team Canada roster) and see that translate.” Jarvis narrowed down his tournament strategy as “it’s about enjoying it…. (I) think everyone plays better when (they’re) enjoying it and having fun.”