Hurricanes’ comeback falls short in first loss of 2023-24, a 6-3 setback to Anaheim Ducks

The Carolina Hurricanes dug themselves too big of a hole on Sunday night, and by the time it looked like they might climb out of it, it was too late.

Cam Fowler and Frank Vatrano scored for the Anaheim Ducks in the final two minutes of regulation to salt away a 6-3 win over the Hurricanes in the second game of back-to-back contests for both clubs.

Vatrano’s game-clincher, with 1:19 to play, capped a hat trick for the gritty forward.

The Canes’ Teuvo Teravainen, who was the only Carolina skater to have scored multiple goals through the team’s first two games, scored two more Sunday to bring his season total to four. He’s still the only Cane with multiple goals.

Martin Necas had the third Carolina tally Sunday, a tip-in with 4:31 to play in regulation that momentarily brought the Canes to within one at 4-3.

But Fowler struck at even strength at 18:03 of the third, and Vatrano capped his hat trick at 18:41 to finish the scoring.

Carolina’s early deficit

Before the Canes could really get a handle on the game, the Ducks were on top 3-0. Sam Carrick started the scoring at 6:52 of the first frame on a snap shot that beat starter Antti Raanta clean. Vatrano followed at 8:31 with a wrister, and Pavel Mintyukov netted his first career NHL goal in his second game to push the home team’s advantage to 3-0.

Teravainen netted his first of the game and third of the season just past the midway point of the second period, but Vatrano answered at 16:44 to reestablish the Ducks’ three-goal edge.

Canes’ third period rally

In the third, Teravainen finished on a power play just three minutes into the frame to make it 4-2, and Necas tipped a Michael Bunting shot past Anaheim keeper Lukas Dostal to make it 4-3. Dostal finished with 32 saves on 35 shots and earned the game’s second star.

Carolina pressed more as the third period went along, but couldn’t get another past the young goalie. Fowler and Vatrano ended the Canes’ hopes of a comeback.

Carolina has a day off Monday before facing the San Jose Sharks in the third game of the team’s six-game road trip Tuesday night in San Jose.

Hurricanes edge Kings

In the first game of a six-game road trip as the Hurricanes escape the bustle of the North Carolina State Fair, the Canes also escaped with a shootout win over the L.A. Kings.

Jordan Martinook ended a nine-round shootout when he beat Pheonix Copley with a nifty deke to the backhand.

The Canes started quickly in Saturday’s game, jumping on the Kings for two goals in the first seven minutes and three in the first 14 to take a commanding lead.

Brent Burns had the first, Aho the second, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi the third.

Defender Drew Doughty got one back for Los Angeles before the opening period ended.

Brendan Lemieux scored his first as a Hurricane in his first game of the season, and it came against one of his former teams. His snapper at 3:03 of the second period came as Jack Drury ran some interference in front of Copley.

Anze Kopitar and Trevor Moore sandwiched a pair of power play goals around Teuvo Teravainen’s second strike of the season to close out the second period with the Canes on top 5-3.

Carolina scoring depth

The Hurricanes last season didn’t have a single player among the NHL leaders in scoring — none in the top 50. But the Canes still finished in the middle of the pack in scoring as a team, netting 262 regular-season goals, good for 15th in the league.

That scoring-by-committee worked in the regular season, but caused some consternation in the playoffs, when Carolina struggled to score in crucial moments. Some argued that was an extension of a similar problem from a year before, though also a symptom of missing Andrei Svechnikov and Max Pacioretty to injuries.

So what did the Canes do? They added two defenders and gritty forwards in the offseason, though one of those forwards — Michael Bunting — is known to score in addition to providing sandpaper.

The result?

Through two games, the Canes scored 10 goals — off the sticks of nine different skaters.

Teravainen is the lone Carolina skater with two goals this season, earning his second Saturday on a shorthanded strike.

Penalties galore

If it feels like there have been an inordinate amount of penalties already this season, it’s not your imagination. The Hurricanes have now taken 26 minutes in penalties through two games — 16 Saturday alone — a 13-minute per-game average.

Across the league, the number of penalties early in the season is typically higher earlier in the season as officials attempt to establish the season’s parameters, and often point of emphasis in the beginning part of the campaign.

Saturday, those penalties offered a mixed bag for the Canes, who gave up a pair of power play goals against, but also scored a pair shorthanded, coming out a net-even while skating shorthanded.

The biggest impact of the Kings’ seven power plays, though, may have come after the sixth power play finished. The Kings, with all the momentum even after the Canes killed off a call on Seth Jarvis, completed a broken play into an empty net as Carolina struggled to find its footing in the defensive zone. Vladislav Gavrikov was the beneficiary on that one, pulling the Kings to within a goal at 5-4.

Two games, two wins for Andersen

No one will look at Andersen’s stats through two games of this young NHL season and immediately anoint him a Vezina Trophy candidate.

Two games, eight goals allowed. Factoring in overtime, Andersen’s goals-against average is a shade under 4.00. His save percentage is well under .900.

And yet: The Canes are 2-0.

A year ago, Andersen battled through multiple injuries in the regular season and played in just 34 games, registering 21 wins against 11 losses. His 2.48 GAA and .903 save percentage were mid- to lower-pack in the NHL in the regular season, as well.

But in the playoffs, Andersen was stellar, even in the series loss to Florida. His 1.83 GAA was second-best in the playoffs among goalies with more than one game played (he played nine), and his save percentage of .927 was fifth with the same parameters.

The Hurricanes offense had trouble generating chances against Copley on Saturday, and the overall defense has been leakier than usual, allowing 60 shots through two games. But Andersen, despite giving up five goals, was solid when he needed to be Saturday to post the win.