The Carolina Hurricanes returned from a short break and stepped back onto home ice Thursday night, welcoming the Chicago Blackhawks to the Lenovo Center. Riding a three-game win streak and fresh off a gritty win over Buffalo, the Canes were looking to keep the momentum rolling. And while they showed plenty of fight, it was the Blackhawks who walked away with the extra point in a 4-3 shootout win.
Andersen solid, but Canes can't cash in on the power play
Frederik Andersen got the nod in net for Carolina, continuing what’s been a promising stretch in his return to form. The lineup in front of him stayed unchanged from Monday’s win, but the Canes faced a different challenge in Chicago’s Spencer Knight - a goaltender who’s had their number in the past. Knight entered the game with two shutouts in four career starts against Carolina, and while he didn’t blank them this time, he came up big when it mattered most.
The Hurricanes had their chances - especially on the power play. They had five opportunities with the man advantage, while the Blackhawks had just one.
But not only did the Canes fail to convert, they gave up a short-handed goal that tilted the game early. K’Andre Miller’s pass was picked off by Ilya Mikheyev, whose initial shot was stopped by Andersen, but the rebound bounced right back to him for the opening tally.
That shorty turned out to be the difference. The Hurricanes had their looks - especially later in the game - but Chicago’s penalty kill, ranked second in the league, was a step ahead.
They read passing lanes, clogged seams, and made life tough for a Carolina unit that’s been trending upward this season. Thursday night, though, was a stumble.
Resilience was there - just not the finish
If there’s one thing the Canes can hang their hat on, it’s how quickly they responded when they fell behind. After Mikheyev’s short-handed goal, Joel Nystrom answered just 98 seconds later with his first career NHL goal - a moment he won’t forget, even if the game didn’t end the way the team hoped.
The pattern repeated in the second and third periods. The Blackhawks kept grabbing the lead, and the Hurricanes kept clawing back.
Nick Lardis gave Chicago a 2-1 edge midway through the second, but Jordan Staal - doing what captains do - tied it with a snipe over Knight’s glove. In the third, Connor Murphy slipped one past Andersen to make it 3-2, only for Jackson Blake to tap in a Logan Stankoven wraparound feed just 42 seconds later.
But despite their resilience, the Canes never led. All three of Chicago’s goals came with Carolina chasing, and while the Canes always had an answer, they couldn’t take control. That’s a tough way to play, especially against a team that’s opportunistic and has a goalie like Knight between the pipes.
Overtime thrills, shootout heartbreak
Overtime had the feel of a game that could’ve ended five different ways. Both teams traded chances, and both goalies stood tall. Andersen made a huge stop on a breakaway from Oliver Moore, while Knight stoned Nikolaj Ehlers on a 2-on-1 rush.
When it went to the shootout, the drama continued. Andrei Svechnikov and Connor Bedard traded goals in the second round, but it was Moore - the same Moore who was denied by Andersen earlier - who had the final say in the sixth round, giving Chicago the 4-3 win.
A fight, a statement, and a silver lining in net
Late in the second, things got physical after a clean hit by Alexander Nikishin on Nick Lardis. Oliver Moore took exception and dropped the gloves with Nikishin.
It didn’t go well for Moore. The birthday boy was on the wrong end of three clean rights, and Nikishin made his point.
Moore may have had the last laugh in the shootout, but the fight was a clear win for Carolina’s blueliner.
As for Andersen, it’s hard to fault his effort. He made several key stops - including a pair of pad saves on Moore in the third - and gave his team a chance to win. He’s now picked up points in four straight starts, and while this one didn’t go in the win column, his trajectory remains encouraging.
What’s next
The Hurricanes now head north for a Saturday night showdown in Ottawa against the Senators, part of Hockey Night in Canada. After that, they get a few days to regroup before hosting the Utah Mammoth next Thursday for Whalers Night. January wraps up with a road trip to Washington, followed by a home date with the Kings to kick off February.
No doubt, the Canes would’ve liked to grab the second point on Thursday. But they showed grit, got a big goal from a rookie, and saw solid play from their goaltender. If they can clean up the power play and find a way to play with the same urgency when the game is tied as they do when trailing, they’ll be in good shape moving forward.