A fantastic start quickly snowballed out of control for the Carolina Hurricanes when the Tampa Bay Lightning’s top line came to town. Combining for 14 points on the night in the final two periods, Tampa Bay couldn’t miss the net if they tried, scoring 8 goals on just 14 shots and icing off the Canes 8-2.
In a brutal loss, Carolina (11-8-0) played exactly how it wanted to play, but Tampa Bay (10-6-5) found the back of the net with lethal precision.
“The first period was great,” said center Jordan Staal. “They got an elite power play, they [scored] a couple quick ones, and now you’re behind.”
The first period was a perfect example of the type of hockey the Hurricanes want to play. By getting the puck in deep on the forecheck and cycling it through the zone, they stifled the Lightning’s high-powered offense, giving up just one shot in the first 20 minutes.
It took almost the entirety of the first period for the first goal to come on the board, and through persistence and hard work, the Canes struck first. Center Jack Drury won a puck battle behind the goal and dished the puck to right wing Stefan Noesen, who slotted the puck past Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevsky.
Vasilevsky made his first start of the season since recovering from back surgery. Stopping 22 of 24 shots, the goaltender looked like he hadn’t missed a beat and proved to be the wall the Lightning needed to run away with the game.
At the other end of the ice, it was a night to forget for Canes goalie Antti Raanta. The Finn posted a save percentage of 0.429, the lowest by any goalie in NHL history who played a full 60 minutes.
“It wasn’t like [the goals] were his fault,” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour. “Like I said, after the fifth one, I probably should have taken him out. The game was pretty much over at that point.”
The Lightning flipped the game script on its head to start the second, scoring three power-play goals in the period’s first 6 minutes. Coming into the game, Tampa’s power play was one of the best in the league, and they showed it off by scoring four total.
Right wing Nikita Kucherov collected four of his six points of the night on the power play alone. He proved why he is one of the hottest guys in the NHL this year; he currently leads the league both in points and goals to start the season.
“It’s one guy, clearly,” Brind’Amour said. “I mean for sure they have other guys, but it’s clearly that one. Everybody knows it’s getting there, and they do a great job of getting him the puck.”
After giving up three quick goals a man down, the Canes struck back with a power play goal of their own, courtesy of left wing Michael Bunting. Off the faceoff, a wobbly puck found its way over to him, where he slapped a one-timer past the pad of Vasilevsky.
The third period saw the Lightning score five unanswered goals with Canes players and fans alike looking on in disbelief. Tampa proved to be unrelenting in their attack and quickly quieted the loudest house in the NHL.
As fans made for the exit, Lightning center Brayden Point scored his third goal of the night to complete the hat trick when the Canes defense showed off a Houdini-esque disappearing act. Although there were a few positives, like the Chatfield-Orlov pairing looking like the best defense the Hurricanes had, it was a night to forget with a game right around the corner.
The Hurricanes have Saturday off, but they play Sunday, Nov. 26 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at home with puck drop at 5 p.m.
