Canes' Win Streak Snapped By Stars

Aho's 22nd of the season serves as the lone goal for Carolina

By Walt Ruff

@WaltRuff Hurricanes.com

February 25, 2024

RALEIGH, NC. - The Carolina Hurricanes' offense was held to a minimum on Saturday, locked down by the Dallas Stars in a 2-1 defeat.

Recap: Stars at Hurricanes 2.24.24

Two Structured Teams...

Simultaneously wrapping up a three-game homestand and beginning a back-to-back set, the Canes turned back to Pyotr Kochetkov between the pipes once again.

Earning the nod after recording a 45-save shutout against Florida on Thursday, the 24-year-old backstop has been stellar since being forced to take the reigns as the team's number one.

Meeting for the second time in 11 days, the start to tonight's contest looked a lot like both Carolina's most recent game and the previous get-together between these two teams.

With limited space to create offense, the two sides were held to just seven shots each in the opening 20 minutes.

Dallas, however, made good on one of theirs.

Inside the final four minutes of the stanza, Stars forward Jason Robertson got a second chance opportunity after his initial shot was blocked, snapping Kochetkov's home shutout streak at 157:48.

Best fans in the NHL 👏 pic.twitter.com/DOEk7czCLG
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 25, 2024

Aho Does It Again...

Trailing 1-0 to start the second, the Canes returned to the ice with some pushback.

Holding Dallas without a shot for the first 11:34 of the stanza, Carolina was able to get an equalizer during that time via Sebastian Aho.

In his own zone, Andrei Svechnikov won a board battle, allowing Jesper Fast to hit #20 in-stride and send him in on a breakaway. Working against fellow All-Star Jake Oettinger, Aho went high to the glove side for his second goal in as many games.

But just when things looked like they were all rolling in the home team's favor, the Stars punched back.

On their very first shot of the frame, Wyatt Johnston put a wicked release through the legs of Jaccob Slavin and then by Kochetkov to give his team their lead back.

Putting the visitors back in front, Carolina then took two penalties in the final five minutes of the second period, sending them to the conclusion of regulation in need of a goal.

It's Sebastian Aho! 🤩

We've got a tie game in Carolina! pic.twitter.com/fjYxfiatFP
— NHL (@NHL) February 25, 2024

As Close As It Gets...

The finish consisted of more tight hockey, as the two sides combined for a total of just eight shots.

Carolina dictated where the game was played at even strength, but Dallas presented a difficult challenge, packing it in defensively.

Finishing the night with 25 blocked shots, that, combined with Jake Oettinger's 20 saves, left the Canes on the wrong side of the 2-1 result.

You could hear the ping from up here! Crossbar! pic.twitter.com/NMAbvY7DK9
— Bally Sports: Canes (@CanesOnBally) February 25, 2024

They Said It

Rod Brind'Amour giving his perspective on the defeat...

"We played hard. We played a great game. When you hold a team like that to 16 shots, I don't know how many scoring chances they had after the first, that's pretty good. They're a good team. They blocked 20+ shots tonight. That's a good number for them. It was a hard-fought game. There wasn't a lot of room and we didn't find it."

Jaccob Slavin after the loss...

"It was tight. Not a lot of room. Two good, high-caliber teams that play the game the right way, going at it... Good teams block shots. There were probably a couple of opportunities tonight where we could have shot the puck and we didn't. We've just got to keep getting everything at the net."

Jordan Staal sharing his thoughts...

"We might've had one too many penalties. It was hard to get any momentum or any sustained pressure. They're a good team. They make you pay, definitely. We made a couple of mistakes and it's in the back of your net. You can't make those. That's kind of the game. Trying to come back in this league is tricky and they played a good game."