Canucks at Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour has liked what he's seen from his team - and for good reason, considering the club is off to its best start since venturing south from Hartford. Fresh off an eight-goal explosion, the Hurricanes bid to continue their good fortune on Tuesday when they face the visiting Vancouver Canucks.
"We knew we were going to push the pace and try to create offense, not at the expense of playing defense. We haven't mastered that yet," Brind'Amour said of his team on the heels of Sunday's 8-5 victory over the New York Rangers. Sebastian Aho has recorded at least a point in all three games and also tallied in Carolina's 4-1 win versus Vancouver on Feb. 9. While the Hurricanes lit up the scoreboard in their last outing, the Canucks were busy watching their opponent do the same in a 7-4 setback against former Hurricanes coach Bill Peters and Calgary on Saturday. "We have to play better defense - be more strict," said Vancouver's highly touted rookie center Elias Pettersson, who has scored three goals and set up two others already this season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Vancouver, FS Carolinas
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (1-1-0): While Brandon Sutter got out of the blocks with an assist in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Flames and a goal on Saturday, the former Hurricane knows his current team is capable of much more. "We've got some pretty skilled players on our team," the 29-year-old Sutter told reporters. "We have to keep getting better. We have a young team. We can be better." Nikolay Goldobin has scored a goal and set up two others to join Loui Eriksson (three assists) with three points this season, and the former recorded his first goal of 2017-18 in a 3-0 win over Carolina on Dec. 5.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (2-0-1): Carolina's new postgame celebration has been the talk of the NHL as the players raised their arms in the air and performed a slow clap before captain Justin Williams skated down the ice and waved for his teammates to join him. "We want to have fun when we win. The game should be fun. We want the players to enjoy winning and the fans to enjoy being here. Our owner (Tom Dundon) has been pushing that all the way. Why wouldn't you try something different?" Brind'Amour told reporters. Micheal Ferland can help the team perform another postgame celebration if he continues his strong surge, as he has scored and set up a goal in back-to-back contests.
OVERTIME
1. Vancouver has surrendered three power-play goals in two games this season after finishing 21st on the penalty kill at 78.3 percent in 2017-18.
2. Hurricanes G Petr Mrazek has turned aside 55 of 59 shots to win both career encounters versus the Canucks.
3. Vancouver G Jacob Markstrom made 30 saves in the 3-0 win over Carolina on Dec. 5.