Gold: Canes after dark (Part 2)

By Adam Gold radio host 99.9 the Fan

The Carolina Hurricanes’ tour of the Pacific time zone continues tonight when they head to Anaheim for a battle of division leaders.

Wut?

While it’s no surprise to us here that the Canes lead the Metropolitan Division with 24 points in a 12-2-0 start, I’m sure more than a few eyebrows have been raised by what the Ducks have done through the first 5 weeks of the season. In the three seasons that saw Carolina go from pretender to contender Anaheim has been in the descending elevator.

The once mighty Ducks have been a sub-.500 club for the last three years with last season’s pandemic squad finishing dead last in the Pacific Division with just 17 wins and 43 points. This year, however, it’s been a completely different story as some of their young players have blossomed into consistent threats every night.

Forwards Troy Terry (11g, 10a), Trevor Zegras (6g, 4a), Isac Lundestrom (3g, 7a) and defenseman Jamie Drysdale (1g, 6a) have produced on the score sheet and added life an energy to a familiar-yet-aging core and helped lead Anaheim to a 10-4-3 start. Ryan Getzlaf, who this summer was thought to be headed elsewhere to chase another Stanley Cup, opted to stay with the only organization he’d ever known and it’s paid off.

Getzlaff has 18 points and his 17 assists are third best in the entire NHL. Not bad for a 36-year old who looked like he might be heading off into retirement after last year’s 17-point season! And, there are still the names we’re used to hearing. Adam Henrique and Jakob Silfverberg and Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm and Josh Manson are still around and still playing big roles for a team that looks vastly different from the one that languished at the bottom of the standings a year ago.

Oh, and John Gibson is one of the best goalies in the league. He’s 9-2-2 with a 2.33 GAA/.925 SV% in 13 starts.

Oh (part 2), and the Ducks haven’t lost in November. They ran their winning streak to 8 straight with their 3-2, overtime win over Washington on Tuesday.

CORRECTION: The Hurricanes are no longer in first place in the Metropolitan Division. The Washington Capitals beat the Kings last night and have inched in front of Carolina by one point. The Hurricanes have played three fewer games than the Caps, but 25 is more than 24, so the Canes will have to reclaim their spot by extracting at least one point out of tonight’s contest.

The returns of Nino Niederreiter, Martin Necas and Antti Raanta were obvious successes a couple of nights ago -- to varying degrees. Nino was fine in his return from a right foot injury, but Necas (illness) and Raanta (concussion) were spectacular as they jumped back into the lineup. Necas had a pair of assists and was one of the best forwards in the game in the 4-2 win in Vegas. Raanta was outstanding with 21 saves and has now won both of his starts for the Canes.

It’s unlikely, but if Rod Brind’Amour chooses to roll with Raanta again tonight he’d be sending out a goalie with positive history against the Ducks. In 10 starts, Antti is 5-4-1 with 1.89 GAA/.927 SV% versus Anaheim.

However, Frederik Andersen will get the net tonight. He played his first three seasons with the Ducks and has fared well against them in limited appearances. He’s 2-1-0 in 4 appearances with 2.28 GAA/.927 SV%.

Brett Pesce, out of action since suffering a concussion in the 2nd period of the Canes win in Chicago, is nearing a return and will be a game time decision. If he draws back in, Brendan Smith would come out of the lineup.

Other than that, there are no changes to the forward lines or combinations. That means another look at Jesperi Kotkaniemi at center and Derek Stepan will be a healthy extra for the second straight night.

Coverage begins at 9:30 pm with Storm Watch starring Alec Campbell on 99.9 the Fan. Immediately following with the play by play will be Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy. Don’t forget to follow the Canes Corner Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. There is a fresh episode the morning after every Hurricanes game.