yardbarker
The Carolina Hurricanes have surged to the top of the Eastern Conference with a seven-game winning streak, yet the defending Stanley Cup champions are not letting success inflate their egos. As they travel to Calgary to take on the struggling Flames, the Hurricanes are keeping a level head.
Carolina's latest victory, a 3-2 comeback over the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday to begin a five-game road trip, was hardly a masterpiece, and the team is the first to admit it. "We know we've got a lot better than we did (Saturday)," said forward Nikolaj Ehlers, whose power-play goal broke a 2-2 tie in the third period. "We're not exactly where we want to be, but it's a long season, and we've got a lot of time to keep making the small details better."
Despite the win not being a masterpiece, the depth of the Hurricanes' lineup shone through. With top point producers Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Jackson Blake held off the scoresheet, Carolina converted both power-play opportunities, with depth players stepping up. Ehlers and Jesperi Kotkaniemi each scored their first goals of the season, and Mark Jankowski extended his goal streak to six games, tying the franchise record since the team relocated to Carolina from Hartford, Conn., for the 1997-98 season.
Jankowski, who was drafted by the Flames in the first round in 2012 and set a career high with 17 goals in 2017-18—the first of his three full seasons in Calgary—is taking his hot streak in stride. "It just feels great to help the team win any way possible," he said. "That's always been my philosophy. (I'm) just trying to do all the little things right and then eventually, the goals and all that come after."
Meanwhile, the Flames find themselves at the bottom of the league standings as they begin a four-game homestand. Calgary has managed just one win in seven outings, with all six defeats coming in regulation. The team is back in action after a 6-2 road loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, a game in which they fell behind on the first shot 25 seconds in and never recovered.
"Take those puck-play mistakes or mishaps out of the equation, we did a lot of good things in the first period," coach Ryan Huska said. "But you're down 2-0 and against good teams, you can't give them leads like that where we're sitting." The Flames have dropped all three home games this season, and the Vegas loss was even more deflating after Calgary had put together some solid performances, even in defeat, and was coming off its lone victory of the campaign, 4-2 at Anaheim on Tuesday.
"We proved the two games prior we can play a really structured game," said defenseman Jake Middleton, who scored his first goal of the season in the loss. "We didn't (on Thursday) and it's something we can take as a lesson." Among the myriad reasons for Calgary's struggles is the sudden issue of penalties. The Flames were short-handed five times in each of the past two games, a trend that has sent their season into a skid.
"You take five or six penalties a night, you're not winning," Huska said. "There are quality players on the ice for too many minutes where they're able to touch the puck. It's not a good thing and it's not a recipe for success."
Key Analysis
The Hurricanes' ability to win even when their top stars are quiet speaks volumes about their depth and resilience. However, their acknowledgment of needing to improve suggests they are not complacent. The Flames, on the other hand, are struggling with discipline and consistency, and facing a powerhouse like Carolina will be a significant test. Calgary must tighten up their penalty kill and avoid early deficits to have a chance.
Originally reported by yardbarker.