Gold: Is Ottawa the cure for Carolina's ills?

By Adam Gold radio host 99.9 the Fan

The Carolina Hurricanes head into their game tonight with the Ottawa Senators in search of their long-lost offensive prowess. The same team that scored 37 goals in their blistering 9-0-0 start has slipped back to just 30 in their last 12 games (6-5-1).

That from 4.1 goals per game to 2.5.

By the way, in this stretch of offensive anemia, there was a 6-goal game and another in which the Canes lit the torch 5 times. So, in those other 10, just 19 goals were put on the board. Eight times, the Hurricanes were limited to 2 or fewer goals and in those games Carolina is 2-5-1.

I see that as significant. I’m sure you do. I know the head coach does as well. And, while a lot of that can be reasoned away by a power play that has evaporated over the last 7 games (0 for 17), they haven’t exactly been killing it at 5-on-5 either.

But, Rod Brind’Amour is only really concerned about generating scoring chances and limiting those against. His philosophy is that stay on the positive side of that statistic and you’ll win a ton of games. In the last dozen, where Carolina has seen all 6 of their losses come, the Hurricanes have had the majority of scoring opportunities in 9 of those games.

Further, in the last 4 games (1-3-0), Carolina has a whopping 48-26 edge in “Grade A” chances according to the website naturalstattrick.com. Statistically speaking, Carolina was the clear-cut better team in all four of those games, but won only once. On top of that, the win in Philadelphia -- by a 6-3 score -- was probably their least impressive game in terms of chances for and against. Such is the weirdness of hockey.

Rod is confident that the puck will start going in again, and maybe he’s right. But, it’s concerning that in the last dozen games the Canes have gotten almost no production at all from Andrei Svechnikov, Teuvo Teravainen, Vincent Trocheck, Nino Niederreiter, Jordan Staal and Jaccob Slavin.

Here are the current goal droughts/struggles of this dirty half dozen…

Svechnikov, 1 goal in 14 games.

Teravainen, 0 goals in 9 -- 1 in last 19 games.

Trocheck, 0 goals in 7 games.

Niederreiter, 1 goal in 8 games since returning from lower body injury.

Staal, 0 goals in 14 games.

Slavin, 0 goals -- period.

Who’s left to score?

Sebastian Aho has been fine, with 5 goals and 9 points in this stretch. Though he has been held off the scoresheet in 7 of these 12 games and Carolina is 1-5-1 when that happens.

Ottawa is 29th in the league in goals scored and dead last in the NHL in goals allowed per game (4.0!!!). If the Hurricanes can’t get right tonight, then this is a situation that is entirely in their heads -- which it may be anyway.

Once again, Carolina will be without all of their regular right shot defensemen. Ethan Bear came out of Covid-19 protocol but isn’t ready to jump back into the line up. He spent the last 10 days ordering room service in San Jose so maybe he’ll be able to draw back in before Saturday’s game with the Sabres. Tony DeAngelo and Brett Pesce will more than likely miss the next six games and have a chance to return when the Hurricanes play in Minnesota, the final game of the upcoming 5-game road trip.

That means Jalen Chatfield and Max Lajoie will comprise the 3rd pair on the blue line tonight. Both played very well in the 4-1 loss in Dallas with Chatfield probably opening the most eyes with a 17 ½ minute performance that saw him put 2 shots on goal, attempt 7 in all and deliver 5 hits. He looked like he belonged, even though the Stars didn’t generate a lot of scoring chances.

Here’s the way Carolina will line up tonight…

Svechnikov-Aho-Necas

Jarvis-Trocheck-Fast

Lorentz-Staal-Teravainen

Niederreiter-Kotkaniemi-Martinook

Slavin-Cole

Skjei-Smith

Lajoie-Chatfield

Raanta

For the Senators, a trio of youngsters lead them in scoring. Drake Batherson has 7 goals and 16 points to pace the group. Josh Norris, who came to Ottawa a few years ago in the Erik Karlsson trade with San Jose, tops all goal scorers with 8, and Brady Tkachuk has 5 goals and 12 points in 17 games.

Tkachuk was the 4th pick in the draft that saw Svechnikov and Kotkaniemi go 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

Line: Carolina -350. O/U: 6 goals.

Storm Watch starring Alec Campbell rolls at 6:30 on 99.9 the Fan. Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy follow with the play by play just after 7:00. Don’t forget to follow the Canes Corner Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. There is a new episode the #MorningAfter every Hurricanes game.