Boasting the NHL’s longest active winning streak at six games, the Carolina Hurricanes will aim to keep the good times rolling against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C.
Martin Necas has been key to Carolina’s 8-2-0 start – the forward has tallied 18 points across his last nine games. His production and consistency comes as no surprise to Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour.
“That’s what he does. He has that ability,” Brind’Amour said. “His skating is so good. Now, you can definitely see the confidence. I think he’s doing other things right, too. You don’t see the high, high risk stuff. Obviously, he has been real special to start the season.”
Necas provided a goal and two assists when Carolina topped the visiting Washington Capitals 4-2 on Sunday in a clash between two of the hottest teams in the league.
The Hurricanes held a 45-21 shot advantage against the Capitals, who had won three straight games and eight of their first 10.
Aside from Necas, there have been an array of offensive contributors for Carolina. Defenseman Dmitry Orlov scored two goals Sunday, pushing his season total to three.
“He has a heavy shot. We’d love him to shoot more,” Brind’Amour said. “Sometimes he’s doing other things with it. When he gets those opportunities to one-time especially, he has a heavy, heavy shot.”
Pyotr Kochetkov made 19 saves for the Hurricanes to improve to 5-1-0 this season. The 25-year-old is filling in for Frederik Andersen, who remains week-to-week with a lower-body injury he sustained in a 4-1 win at Seattle on Oct. 26.
Kochetkov’s workload has been softened because of Carolina’s ability to keep the puck at the other end of the rink. When the action flips to his side of the ice, the fourth-year veteran keeps his approach simple.
“I tried to stay focused and just think about the next shot,” Kochetkov said.
Even when a shot slips past Kochetkov, Brind’Amour likes the poise and urgency his team displays after allowing a goal.
“The guys in there have been around,” Brind’Amour said. “They get it.”
The Flyers have won three of their last five games following a six-game skid, but their offense has a rut. Philadelphia has tallied four goals over its last three games and was stymied in Saturday’s 3-0 home loss to Boston.
“We’re going to stay with it and just try to find our game offensively,” said Flyers coach John Tortorella, whose team will begin a three-game road trip.
Philadelphia’s defense took a hit on Saturday when goalie Samuel Ersson sustained a lower-body injury. Ersson, who is 4-2-1 this season, did not practice on Monday. The team is unsure how much time the 25-year-old will miss.
Aleksei Kolosov, who made 20 saves in relief of Ersson on Saturday, will likely seize the starting role for the time being. Tortorella wants his team to ease the pressure on Kolosov or whoever else is defending Philadelphia’s net.
“We have to play well in front of our goalies,” Tortorella said. “When you play well in front of your goalies, you have the puck more. Playing defense has to be a priority for us … Offense comes off of that.”
The Flyers have surrendered six goals in each of their three regulation losses on the road.
Philadelphia went 1-2-1 last season against Carolina, with neither team recording more than four goals in any of those meetings.
–Field Level Media
