The Carolina Hurricanes and Pittsburgh Penguins both are reeling going into their game Sunday in Raleigh, N.C.
Both have lost four of their past six games and are coming off losses.
The Hurricanes were shut out at home, 4-0, by the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night. Carolina managed only 21 shots.
“We’re so flat, we have no chance the way we’re going right now,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said during the game in a television bench interview. “Zero.”
Carolina recorded just one shot in the first 12 minutes, including a four-minute power play.
Down 2-0 in the second period, the Hurricanes appeared to score when defenseman Jalen Chatfield’s shot went in off the skate of Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin. But Minnesota coach John Hynes challenged the goal for being offside. After a review, it was ruled that Carolina’s Jackson Blake was offside as he tried to leave the ice on a change, and the goal was overturned.
Pyotr Kochetkov made 23 saves for Carolina.
Center Jack Drury returned to the Hurricanes’ lineup after missing 10 games due to a broken thumb.
As for the Penguins, they suffered a 3-2 shootout loss to the Florida Panthers on Friday in Sunrise, Fla.
Rickard Rakell’s power-play goal tied the game at 2 with 40 seconds left in regulation and goalie Tristan Jarry pulled for a 6-on-4 advantage. That forced overtime and allowed Pittsburgh to get at least one point out of the game.
“I thought we played extremely hard. It was another really good hockey game,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “We had a lot of good opportunities to score. I loved our compete level down the stretch. We got one with the goalie pulled on the power play at the end. I just love the compete of this group right now, I love the intentions. We’re trying to play the game the right way.”
Sidney Crosby also had a power-play goal, and Jarry made 31 saves.
“I thought the guys did a great job,” Jarry said. “We were able to get a power play at the end and that really helped. The guys executed and did what we talked about. Learning from the last game — a 4-2 loss at the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday — really helped us. I thought we brought a really good game tonight.”
Defenseman Owen Pickering returned after missing four games with a concussion and had a shot on goal in nearly 14 minutes. But forward Philip Tomasino left the game 4:56 into the third period with what appeared to be a lower-body injury after he slid into the boards.
Martin Necas is Carolina’s leading producer with 46 points (15 goals, 31 assists). Jack Roslovic tops the team with 17 goals. Sebastian Aho is second in points with 40 and is tied with Andrei Svechnikov for third with 12 goals.
Crosby leads the Penguins with 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists) while Rakell (18 goals, 14 assists) and Evgeny Malkin (eight goals, 24 assists) are tied for second with 32 points. Rakell is the team’s goal leader and Bryan Rust is second with 15.
–Field Level Media
