The Carolina Hurricanes have been frustrated with some recent results, and now there’s barely any time to soak in a special performance.
“That’s what’s hard about this league,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “That’s what being a pro is.”
The Hurricanes will be in action Friday night against the visiting Vancouver Canucks in Raleigh, N.C., under 24 hours after captain Jordan Staal’s hat trick helped propel the team to a comeback victory.
Carolina beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Thursday night. Staal’s fifth career hat trick was among the highlights.
“He does so many things and he means a lot more than people give him credit for,” Brind’Amour said.
The Canucks, who are making their third stop on a five-game trip Friday, have lost three consecutive games (0-1-2) — with the past two in overtime. They fell 2-1 in Washington on Wednesday.
“Three games still left to salvage and make it a good road trip,” Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes said. “We’re a good team, too, so we expect to get two points against any team.”
Three of Vancouver’s four games this month have extended beyond regulation. There are signs of progress for the Canucks and that has been encouraging to coach Rick Tocchet.
“We spent a couple of days really evaluating our team a little bit and how we want to play,” he said. “I thought everyone kind of bought into it.”
The Canucks had to contend with a large team that can be difficult to match from a physical standpoint in the Washington game.
“I thought a lot of our guys hung in there,” Tocchet said. “I like that. We have to build off this and keep playing to the identity.”
But the challenge could be different against the Hurricanes, who tend to be a team that relies more heavily on a brisk pace.
Vancouver could have goalie Thatcher Demko in net Friday after he served as a backup Wednesday. He had been off the lineup sheet for a couple of games because of back spasms.
“I think he’s ready to go now,” Tocchet said.
Hughes has a team-leading 45 points, which is 15 more than any of the other member of the Canucks. But Hughes has been ailing, mostly playing through it despite missing a total of four games this season.
Canucks center Elias Pettersson, who hasn’t played since Dec. 23 due to an undisclosed injury, could be a game-time decision. That’s how he was listed for Wednesday, when he ultimately wasn’t back in game action.
The Hurricanes will try to buck a trend of some rough opening stretches. They fell into a 2-0 hole against Toronto.
“You do that over and over, that’s not a good recipe,” Brind’Amour said. “Clearly the start wasn’t good, but it’s how you finish, right?”
The Hurricanes will be aiming to secure back-to-back wins for the first time since Dec. 15 and 17.
Carolina beat the Canucks 4-3 in overtime on Oct. 28 on Sebastian Aho’s goal 47 seconds into the extra session.
–Field Level Media
