Pittsburgh @ Carolina preview
Lenovo Center
Last Meeting ( Oct 18, 2024 ) Carolina 4, Pittsburgh 1
The Carolina Hurricanes are finding different ways to get the job done, but the common theme has been consistent winning early in this season.
It hasn't panned out that way for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who'll try to break through against the Hurricanes when the teams meet Thursday night at Raleigh, N.C.
Carolina holds a seven-game winning streak after scoring twice in the final 31 seconds of Tuesday night's 6-4 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers.
"Good teams find a way to win," said forward Martin Necas, who had the go-ahead goal for the Hurricanes in that game.
Pittsburgh's success has been about as rare as Carolina's losses, making the Penguins clearly a frustrated group.
"We just need to play better," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.
Carolina's 9-2-0 record reflects the second-fastest it has gotten to the nine-win level since winning nine straight to open the 2021-22 season.
Yet it was a different type of performance against the Flyers with choppy stretches for Carolina.
"Sometimes you've got to win that way," coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "You're not going to be (flowing) every night. It's hard in this league every night to look good."
Yet the Hurricanes contained the Flyers, who put only a total of six shots on goal in the second and third periods combined.
Necas has a seven-game points streak, matching the longest in his career.
"It feels better than what I was used to," Necas said. "I was always confident in myself. Building some chemistry."
His stretch of production has been among the highlights for the Hurricanes.
"(Necas) has been unbelievable," teammate Jack Drury said.
While younger players and newcomers, such as Jackson Blake and Jack Roslovic, have commanded considerable attention so far this season for the Hurricanes, veterans have been cranking up key production as well. Jordan Martinook notched his first goal of the season Tuesday night and defenseman Brent Burns had two assists for his first multi-point game of the season.
The Hurricanes defeated the Penguins 4-1 on Oct. 18 at Pittsburgh. Necas had a goal and an assist in that game.
Frederik Andersen was in the nets for Carolina in the first meeting vs. the Penguins, making 25 saves. He's nursing an injury and won't play in this rematch, which comes as the Hurricanes conclude a four-game homestand.
Alex Nedeljkovic, a former Carolina goalie, has played the last three games in the net for the Penguins.
The Penguins had a two-game winning streak snapped with Tuesday night's 4-3 shootout setback to the New York Islanders.
"We had opportunities to break it open and we couldn't," Sullivan said.
That was the first outing in Pittsburgh's three-game road trip. In their last five road outings, the Penguins are 0-3-2.
"We've got two more games on this road trip to come away with a positive trip," Nedeljkovic said.
Thursday night's game will be the first time the Hurricanes face an opponent for the second time this season.
Pittsburgh has met the Montreal Canadiens twice, winning both of those encounters.
--Field Level Media