Recap: Canes Top Preds Again to Cap Homestand

The Carolina Hurricanes capped their longest homestand of the season with a 3-1 win against the Nashville Predators.

HIGHLIGHTS | PHOTO GALLERY | STATISTICS

The Difference

On a faceoff in the offensive zone, Jani Hakanpää, the New Guy, wanted to make sure he understood the set play the Canes were going to run. With Vincent Trocheck in the circle, it was pretty simple.
"He just told me, 'It's coming your way. Just shoot it,'" Hakanpaa said. "He put it on a silver platter for me."
Sure enough, Trocheck won the draw cleanly back to Hakanpaa, who let go of a quick wrist shot that eluded Juuse Saros.

"It's tough to read those. There's traffic in front of you, and he gets it off quick," Alex Nedeljkovic said. "Those are hard to pick up. It was a great heads-up play by him, a smart play."
The goal, scored almost nine minutes into the third period, was Hakanpaa's first with his new team and the difference in the game. In addition to the goal, Hakanpaa logged four shots on goal, four hits and four blocked shots in 14:23 of ice time and was named the game's first star.
"We're super excited for him. Not only with the goal, but he had some big plays all over the ice, blocking shots, big hits," Jaccob Slavin said. "He's a great addition to the team."

As Hakanpaa sat down on the bench for his postgame television interview, fans chanted "Jani! Jani! Jani!" Just two games in, he's quickly endeared himself to the fanbase.
"They've been unreal," Hakanpaa said later. "It's been unreal how good they've been to me and how they've welcomed me to the Canes."
Welcome to Raleigh, indeed.

Fist Bumps

Jaccob Slavin & the first period
The Hurricanes flat-out dominated the first period.
Here are some stats. The Canes had 24 shots on goal, a new season high. According to Natural Stat Trick, they led 28-5 in scoring chances and 17-2 in high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5. The Canes had a pretty threatening first power play, too, which generated another four scoring chances and an additional high-danger chance.
If those stats don't say enough, just ask the those who experienced it.
"Everyone was going. We were moving our feet well and playing the right way," Slavin said. "It was a super solid first period from top to bottom."
"It was probably one of the best first periods I've seen ever, to be honest with you. We were good," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "We were on it with everything we were doing. It was the way it was supposed to look."
As the period progressed, though, the score remained 0-0. Was it going to be one of those weird hockey periods where the Canes dominate yet have nothing to show for it?
Slavin made sure that was not the case. Dogged work by the Canes' fourth line, including a stickless Steven Lorentz, forced a turnover in the neutral zone. Morgan Geekie quickly turned the puck the other way, and Slavin joined the rush to snipe a shot pass Saros.

"To be up after that period was great," Slavin said. "As Roddy always says, you play the period, put it behind you and go back to work. You've got to repeat it and be able to do the same thing."
Alex Nedeljkovic
Nedeljkovic posted a 24-save shutout against Florida on April 8 - that was earlier in this season-long homestand, for those with a calendar nearby - but since the Canes are effectively rotating between three goaltenders, he had to wait nine days to make another start.
His preparation, he said, begins in practice.
"Whether you have two or three guys, you have to have good practice habits because that's what's going to translate over to the game," he said. "Just staying sharp and staying mentally focused in practices is all you can do at this point."
That sharpness and mental focus was evident, as Nedeljkovic turned aside 27 of 28 shots in his 10th victory of the season. Since Feb. 20, when he blanked the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nedeljkovic is 9-3-1 with a 1.61 goals-against average, a .941 save percentage and three shutouts.

Stats Pack

4: The Canes have recorded 24 shots - their tally in the first period alone - or fewer in four games this season.
48: The Canes finished the night with 48 shots on goal, eclipsing the previous season high of 43.
98-47-11: Since the calendar flipped to 2019, the Canes are 98-47-11. Only Tampa Bay has more wins (104) in that stretch.

No Context Image of the Night

Quote of the Night

"It's nice to see him get that. Obviously it was a big goal. That's the best way to feel part of a group, for sure, when you can contribute like that. It came at a great time for us." - Rod Brind'Amour on Jani Hakanpaa's goal

Up Next

On the heels of their longest homestand of the season, the Canes will now head out on their longest road trip of the season that takes them through Tampa, Sunrise and Dallas for six games over a nine-day stretch.
"It's nice to play in front of fans and be in front of the Caniacs again," Slavin said. "I know we as players appreciate our fans. From that side, it was awesome. Being home with the family mentally helps, as well. With the hectic season that it is, it's nice to be home. We've got a big road trip coming up."