3 Takeaways From Hurricanes’ 4-3 OT Win Over Pittsburgh

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Following a disastrous loss to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, the Carolina Hurricanes responded with a valiant effort in front of their home fans, defeating the division-rival Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 in overtime in the second half of a back-to-back.

The Penguins, who are now in the wild-card race thanks to the slumping New York Rangers and New York Islanders, were hot to start, taking a two-goal lead in the first period. The Hurricanes, always persistent, scored three in the second to take control of the game before a third-period equalizer forced OT, and both teams clinched one point in the standings. Here’s a look at three standout storylines from Sunday’s game.

Vintage Aho Performance

It’s hard to criticize a player who has scored 43 points in 40 games, but Sebastian Aho has been a bit off at times this season. Losing Teuvo Teravainen, a consistent winger and friend, could be affecting his performance, and of course, he no longer has Jake Guentzel beside him, either. Alas, the team remains dependent on Aho to produce offensively, and while his statistics are up to standard, he can reach another level if he starts getting the bounces.

Sebastian Aho Carolina Hurricanes
Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Thankfully, it was a smooth night for Aho, who showed that he’s still the dynamic, game-changing talent he’s been throughout his career. After a dismal first period, Aho came out of the intermission like a man possessed and took the game into his own hands. First, he forced a turnover in the neutral zone and flew towards the net with speed, firing off a perfect pass to Seth Jarvis, who lessened the deficit to one. He then flew up the wing and dropped a spinning backhand pass to Jalen Chatfield, who ripped his shot past Alex Nedeljkovic. Just look at the beauty of this:

He wasn’t done there. A little over a minute into overtime, Aho and Martin Nečas dominated. Aho pounced on a rebound in front of the net to win the game:

The most impressive part of that goal? The player he beat for inside positioning to score the winner was Sidney Crosby. That’s pitting the elite against the elite, and this time, Aho came out the winner. It was a vintage performance from him.

Up-And-Down Tokarski

The good news is that a win makes it hard to get hung up on what happened before the victory. Goaltender Dustin Tokarski has done an admirable job jumping into the backup role despite not playing an NHL game in over two years before the Hurricanes came calling. However, last night, he allowed three goals on 19 shots. The Hurricanes don’t allow many shots on goal, but the ones they do are usually of high quality — which was a theme again last night. However, the first goal, from Kevin Hayes, was not a good goal, although it’s hard to blame Tokarski because it came off a 3-on-1 rush. While forgivable, the team wanted their goaltender to bail them out here:

Tokarski should not be held accountable for the other two goals. Both were created off fantastic plays by Erik Karlsson, the elite offensive defenseman of the modern generation, and the Canes’ in-zone coverage was too soft on both of them. All things considered, if Tokarski can continue doing just enough to give the team a chance to win, I think we can be satisfied with his performances. He looks a bit shaky and out of sync at times, but as long as he’s doing his job, it’s not necessary to critique every little mishap.

Related: Hurricanes Have Goalie Options With Tokarski & Trade Market

Jarvis Snaps Drought

Seth Jarvis was goalless in seven straight games before Sunday’s contest and had just one goal in his last 13. That’s not good enough for a key piece of the Hurricanes’ offense. With two second-period goals, Jarvis should gain some confidence and get back to putting the puck in the net consistently. Despite the drought, I’ve been pleased with his game overall, but expectations are high after a 33-goal campaign last season. Look at the skill he displayed on his second goal of the game:

It’s promising to see him get rewarded for his play. When you’re known for scoring goals, it can be frustrating when it isn’t happening — despite not doing anything wrong or different. Jarvis is a confident player, so I wouldn’t worry about his morale, but it’s beneficial for everyone to see him get that monkey off his back. A boost in confidence could see him go on a tear, which would be fantastic for a team that’s struggled to produce offense consistently.

What’s Next for the Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have a busy week ahead with four games on the schedule. They’re on the road to meet the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday before a three-game homestand over four days starting on Thursday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Ranked third in the Metropolitan Division, a strong week could see the team close the point gap on the New Jersey Devils (three points ahead) and the surprise Washington Capitals (seven points ahead) who lead the division.

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