A 4-0 win against the Lightning, the Canes' second shutout victory against Tampa Bay this season, was no doubt a dominant team effort from up and down the lineup. It had to be.
"It's a great test because you're playing the best. You could see there was not a lot of room. Every inch was fought for out there," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "It's a great test for us to see how it's done. We see it. They play it right, and we had to tonight to win."
But, the difference was Alex Nedeljkovic, who stopped all 24 shots he faced to earn his first career NHL shutout in his 10th career game and eighth career start - against the defending Stanley Cup champions, no less. He didn't have to see a ton because of the defensive work of five in front of him to prevent chances in the rush and keep pucks to the outside as much as possible, but when Nedeljkovic was tested, he was aggressive and sharp.