The Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night (Dec. 10) kicked off their four-game homestand with a visit from Macklin Celibrini and the San Jose Sharks. In their first matchup of the season, the Hurricanes came out with a 3-2 win over the Sharks as the defense led the way.
Game Recap
The first period saw the Hurricanes come out flying as they threw chance after chance on Sharks netminder Vitek Vanecek. It took less than five minutes for the home side to grab the lead as Shayne Gostisbehere scored his sixth goal of the season after great passing from William Carrier and Jack Roslovic. Roslovic in a board battle was able to bank it off the sideboards to Carrier who saw a streaking Gostisbehere who was crashing the slot. He was able to get it over to the defenseman who ripped it high blocker side on the Vanecek to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead.
After that, the Hurricanes kept up the pace to try to grab a second goal as in one sequence had six shots on goal that could have gone in. They seemed ready to go from the puck drop. However, before the period was over, Sharks forward Luke Kunin tied the game up after Celebrini set him up between the circles. Kunin beat Pyotr Kochetkov between the legs to make it a 1-1 game with 1:09 left in the first period. The Hurricanes outshot the Sharks 10-8 in the first 20 minutes and the period ended tied at all ones.
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The second period saw the Sharks take the lead midway through the second period. Kunin added his second of the game as he caught Kochetkov getting ready to go to the left goalpost as he kept it to the right side. Once again, it seemed the Hurricanes had a hot start, but the second period saw them fade off and be a step slower. Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour did not like the effort as he stated during the middle of the period, hinting that his team needs more urgency getting out of their own end. Furthermore, he also mentioned how the turnovers have been a problem and San Jose was skating better through the neutral zone. After two periods, it was 2-1 Sharks with the Hurricanes leading in shots on goal 20-16.
The third period saw the Hurricanes score two goals in the period. Brent Burns tied the game up just a tad over four minutes into the final frame. Great passing by Martin Necas and Sebastian Aho set that one up. Jalen Chatfield felt left out in the scoring as he was able to grab the puck, settle it, and wrist it past Vanecek to give the Hurricanes the 3-2 lead with under three minutes left in the third period. In the end, it was the game-winning goal. It was the defense that led the offense for the Hurricanes to get win number 18 on the season and their 11th at home.
Keep on Rollin’, Rollin’, Rollin’
The Hurricanes (18-9-1) take on the Ottawa Senators on Friday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. Eastern. It’ll be their second game of the four-game homestand. The Sharks (10-16-5) will take on the St. Louis Blues in St. Louis with puck drop at 8 p.m. Eastern.
