Canes Start Road Trip With Shootout Win In LA

Martinook plays hero as Canes improve to 2-0

By Walt Ruff

@WaltRuff Hurricanes.com

October 15, 2023

LOS ANGELES - The Carolina Hurricanes opened a Southern California back-to-back by taking a 6-5 shootout win from the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

Setting The Tone Early

How do you ensure you're beginning a six-game stint away from home on the right foot?

Scoring in the first five minutes is a good start.

After ringing the post a minute prior on the team's first power play of the night, Brent Burns wristed one past Pheonix Copley to begin what would be a fruitful opening frame for the Canes.

Just 2:26 later, Sebastian Aho would double the early advantage. Scooping up a mishandled puck at center ice while shorthanded, #20 walked in all alone and slipped one five-hole. His 17th career shorthanded goal, the marker pushed Aho past Eric Staal for the most in Canes history.

With a pair in their pocket, Jesperi Kotkaniemi then followed suit a few moments later, giving his club a 3-0 lead. Silencing the Los Angeles crowd, #82 etched his second point in four periods of play by sneaking one in from the goal line, catching Copley leaning the wrong way.

History. pic.twitter.com/Rt7Sgntiso
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) October 15, 2023

Debut Day (And More Shorties!)

Although Los Angeles would get on the board before the end of the first period, Carolina kept the offense flowing in the second period.

The first of two tallies came via the debutant, Brendan Lemieux. Inserted into the lineup after serving as the healthy scratch for Wednesday's home opener, the former King made the most of his opportunity. Receiving a stretch pass from Tony DeAngelo amid a change for Los Angeles, Lemieux walked in, displayed patience as Jack Drury drove the net, and fired one home for his first.

Extending Carolina's lead to 4-1, unfortunately, a lack of discipline allowed the home side to crawl back into the game.

A pair of power-play goals only brought them back within two twice, but on the positive side of things, another shorthanded connection between Aho and Teuvo Teravainen operated as a buffer.

The third shorthanded goal in five periods for Carolina, tonight also served as the first time in team history that the club scored while down a man in both of its first two games of the season.

Teuvo Teravainen with a Shorthanded Goal vs. Los Angeles Kings

Then It Got Ugly...

Up 5-3 going into the third, there was an understanding that the finish to the contest would be important, but the Canes had provided enough to feel good about through 40 minutes, so surely they had it in the bag, right? Right...?

More penalty trouble and a push from Los Angeles snowballed into the Kings being able to beat Frederik Andersen twice more, evening the contest at five.

Carolina took three penalties in the third period, bringing their grand total to eight on the evening, heightening a sense that discipline would need to be addressed. Although neither of LA's third-period goals came while up a man, both came within a minute after a penalty had ended, cashing in on the momentum generated in their direction by the infractions.

But They Found A Way Again

Players and coaches alike were using the phrase "found a way" following Wednesday's Opening Night victory, indicating that they hadn't played their best game, but they got the job done.

Tonight, it was more of the same.

5-5 going into the extra frame, neither side was able to win it during three-on-three.

In the shootout, Aho came through in the clutch once again, scoring to extend the skills competition to a fourth round after the Canes had their backs against the wall. Martin Necas also came up big in the bottom of the fifth round when his group needed it, and with Andersen upholding his end of the bargain in net, an unlikely hero emerged in the bottom of the ninth.

Tonight's hero and shootout decider?

Jordan Martinook.

Jordan Martinook, shootout winner in the bottom of the ninth! 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/snYoFGW8Dl
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) October 15, 2023

They Said It

Rod Brind'Amour's assessment of the contest...

"I don't know that we've played a worse game, ever. I give them credit, they outplayed us from start to finish. We just scored on every chance we had. The game is just so hard when you're in the box the whole game. There's no flow. It was a disgusting game, really. So we're going trash it and move on. Thankfully, we get to play again tomorrow."

Jordan Martinook on his shootout winner...

"I've done that move a couple times in practice. I did it once last year in a big game. It's kind of my bread and butter right now. I got some stuff that I can go off of it with, so I don't want to say that that's my only thing, but it's been working. I'll stick with it."

Frederik Andersen on if he was surprised to see Martinook win it in the shootout for his squad...

"Not really. I've seen him do that move in practice on me. He's more skilled than people give him credit for. He provides a lot of energy for us and he can score, so it was cool to see him finish on a nice move like that."