The Carolina Hurricanes picked a bad time for a two-game skid. For the second night in a row, the Canes dropped a key divisional game, and the team now finds itself outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture after a 3-0 loss to the New York Islanders in PNC Arena Friday night.
The Canes (27-23-9) put 45 shots on Islanders (28-25-6) goalie Thomas Greiss, who ranked 44th among 44 goalies with at least 20 appearances with a .885 save percentage coming into the game, but he stopped all of them for his first shutout of the season. Cam Ward made 21 saves on 23 shots for Carolina. The loss puts the Canes a point behind the Islanders for the Eastern Conference’s final wild card spot.
“We couldn’t buy one here tonight,” head coach Bill Peters said. “We had a post early, and then the play in the third that got reviewed. There were a few where there was some action at the net, but I thought their goaltender played well.”
The Canes came just inches away from taking an early 1-0 lead, but defenseman Brett Pesce rang the post from the right circle during an early 4 on 4 sequence. Carolina had its fair share of quality chances in the first, outshooting the Islanders 16-7, but could not find the back of the net.
“They did a good job finding lanes and blocking shots,” Canes forward Jeff Skinner said. “At the same time I think we got a few through. Sometimes it’s just a bounce here or there, it bounces off their pads and drops on your stick or it bounces and it’s a foot away. It’s the difference. It’s maybe being a little bit more hungry for the net, but I don’t think it’s a lack of effort.”
The Islanders allow the most goals against per game in the league, making the Canes’ night of offensive ineptitude even more puzzling. Carolina also went 0 for 2 on the power play against the league’s second-worst penalty kill.
“It would’ve made a difference,” Peters said. “Obviously there’s only two power plays in the game. We had them both and we ended up with 10 shots. I thought we had some decent looks there, but give them credit, they blocked a lot of shots and when we did get it through, Greiss was there.”
The Islanders broke the ice with 9:54 to play in the second period despite the Canes controlling play to the tune of a 22-11 shot advantage, with defenseman Johnny Boychuk launching a bomb of a shot from the blueline for a 1-0 lead.
New York got a golden chance to double its lead with five minutes and change left in the middle frame after a poor line change by the Hurricanes gifted the Islanders a 2-on-0 rush, but Ward flashed the pad on former Canes forward Andrew Ladd to keep it a one-goal game.
Carolina appeared to have finally found the back of the net exactly four minutes into the third period, as Skinner picked up a loose puck in the slot and snapped it past Greiss.
However, a successful coach’s challenge by Islanders head coach Doug Weight determined the Canes entered the zone offsides, with, ironically, Skinner, crossing the line illegally before the puck by the slimmest of margins with his back skate off the ice, wiping out the goal.
“Yeah [it’s frustrating], but if it went our way, I wouldn’t complain,” Skinner said. “That’s just the way it is, I think. I tried to slow up as best I could. I should have probably dragged my foot. It was close. I haven’t seen it fully but obviously it was pretty close.”
While the Canes were disappointed with the outcome of the challenge, Peters said the Canes video staff agreed the play was offsides after watching the replay.
The Islanders grabbed some insurance with exactly eight minutes to play; after Canes defenseman Justin Faulk could not corral an errant pass from defenseman Noah Hanifin at the offensive blue line, Isles forward Anthony Beauvillier blew past both defenders and beat Ward on a breakaway goal to make it 2-0.
Even pulling Ward for an extra attacker with 2:22 to play could not help the Canes find the back of the net. As Islanders forward John Tavares was tripped with a clear shot at the open net, he was awarded a goal to make it 3-0.
The Canes, who entered the week in the coveted wild card spot and have now started a stretch of four straight divisional games 0-2, are one point out of the playoffs and face a pivotal home matchup with the New Jersey Devils on Sunday.
“It’s a big game,” Skinner said. “They’re all big games now. Obviously there’s a little bit of added importance when you’re trying to take two points from someone you’re in the mix with.”
Right wing Sebastian Aho adjusts his helmet in frustration, Saturday, Feb. 16 in PNC Arena. Aho had three shots on goal during his 21:11 on the ice. Despite having 44 shots on goal, the Canes lost to the New York Islanders, 0-3.
