Game Recaps:

Tampa: 4-1 win The Bolts are perennial playoff contenders with a solid core of players and coaching staff. They seem to be catching their stride at just the right time and were a good test for the Canes.

Jarvis started the scoring with a shorty – a trend that I don’t mind at all! Martinook added one with a backhander from a tight angle after Vasilevskiy made some phenomenal saves on Carolina’s top line. A few minutes later, Roslovic added a 2-on-1 goal. Hall with the great assist, as he’s really been coming alive.

The Bolts got on the board just five minutes into the third with a wrister from Goncalves. Walker responded just a few minutes later with a wrist shot of his own from an offensive zone faceoff.

Kochetkov made some unreal saves that kept the Lightning off the board!

Detroit: 4-2 win. Detroit was looking to make a playoff push of their own after a trade deadline that failed to overly impress most pundits and sportswriters.

After a quiet first period, DeBrincat opened the scoring with just 1:53 to go in the first.

Within the first minute of the second, Hall found the back of the net on a tip-in off a Kotkaniemi shot. Kotkaniemi added to his impressive period with a cross-crease pass to Roslovic. Chatfield added one before the end of the period with a blueline wrister that beat a screened Mrazek.

Rasmussen opened the third period scoring to bring the Red Wings within one goal. With the goalie pulled, Robinson found the empty net from just inside the Canes’ blueline.

Flyers: 5-0 win. The Flyers aren’t exactly lighting up Broad Street, but they are always tough to play against with Torts at the helm.

Aho opened the scoring halfway through the first. Blake, Aho, and Jarvis really seem to be finding some good chemistry. With just four minutes left in the first, Jankowski continued his hot streak with a goal off a Robinson pass to go into the intermission up 2-0.

In the first minute of the second period, the Canes got their only power-play goal of the week. Hall forced home the rebound past Ersson to give Carolina a 3-0 lead. Jankowski tucked home his second of the night with just six minutes left, capitalizing on a long outlet pass.

With just 30 seconds left in the game, Morrow tucked home his first goal off a Stankoven shot rebound.

Top-Shelf Tucks (The Highlights):

Taylor Hall seems to be finding his legs in Carolina. The former first-overall pick has six points in his last 10 games with a +4 rating. He’s seen PP1 time and seems to play well with a number of different line combinations, helped, no doubt, by his years of experience.

Scott Morrow is the real deal! The second-round pick in 2021 has been lighting it up in the AHL, and with his recent call-up as Orlov sits with injury, he’s made a real case for his place on the roster as, at least, a healthy scratch going into the playoffs. This is a good problem to have, but things could get very interesting if Nikishin is able to make it over for a playoff run. Regardless, things look good for the Canes’ blueline next year with Morrow and Nikishin potentially coming in as Burns and Orlov play out the final year of their contracts.

The Sin Bin (Areas to Improve):

The power play is back on this list. 1-for-9 isn’t going to cut it in the playoffs against the top teams. There were also far too many high-danger chances given up while on the power play, similar to the playoffs last year. I think it’s too early to panic and change up the lines too much, but I like the addition of Hall on PP1 and would like to see Morrow get a chance on one of the power plays at some point before the playoffs start if he’s still in the lineup.

Undisciplined defensive zone play after icing. This is a nitpicky one, but it’s goals like this that decide playoff games. The opening goal against the Red Wings was a result of a defensive zone draw following an icing. The Canes won the faceoff but turned over the puck trying to exit the zone and gave up a goal with less than two minutes to go in the period. Carolina has had a few areas that it needs to tighten up. Playing with the lead is one, and these small details are another that, to me, really make a difference coming down the stretch.

Looking Ahead:

Carolina heads to the West Coast for the last time this year for games against San Jose and the LA Kings. The Kings will be a great test as they’re making a case as to why they’ll be a hard out in the loaded Western Conference.

The Hurricanes are optimistic that both Svechnikov and Orlov will return to the lineup on this trip. Both Russians have been out of the last few games with minor injuries.