The Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes have something in common lately, and both teams are trying to shed recent labels.
The teams have hit rough patches, making their meeting Thursday night in Raleigh, N.C., crucial for both sides.
“I think we know we’re in a little bit of funk here with our play,” Carolina forward Eric Robinson said.
The Hurricanes have lost three games in a row for the first time this season. Their 4-2 loss to visiting Seattle on Tuesday night came while putting just 19 shots on net, a low figure for the normally high-shot team. They had just seven shots through two periods.
“We fought back a little bit, but we can’t play two periods like that,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We were not sharp.”
The Avalanche hold a 7-5-0 road record after a four-goal third period produced a 5-4 victory Tuesday night at Buffalo. Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and provided an assist in that game as his team rallied from a 4-0 hole.
“We went into a couple of things, more details of what we need to do and what we need to see from every guy if we were to get back into that game,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “They knew we needed to get more competitive. We definitely got more relentless on the puck.”
That was just Colorado’s second victory in its last five games (2-3-0), with the other win coming in a shootout. So there’s a lot to be concerned about for the Avalanche despite the big boost to begin a five-game road trip.
“It’s nice to see our team dig in,” Bednar said.
Carolina suddenly has stalled, failing to generate the scoring chances that have often defined the team.
Hurricanes forward Martin Necas has a league-high 13 multi-point games, including a goal and an assist Tuesday. He certainly needs more help, and that’s something that Brind’Amour has noticed.
“Our top guys got to come and that includes everybody,” he said. “If we’re going to win, we have to have those guys being the top guys.”
Brind’Amour has adjusted line combinations, hoping to spark some of the forwards into more production.
“I’ve done that, so that’s not the answer,” Brind’Amour said. “You got to look in the mirror and do your job. We’re going to turn the page.”
There were encouraging aspects despite some dismal numbers for Carolina earlier this week. The Hurricanes have racked up 12 power-play goals across their last 11 games.
Colorado goalie Scott Wedgewood, making his debut with the Avalanche, notched his first victory since October with Tuesday’s relief effort at Buffalo, stopping all 22 shots. He began the season with Nashville.
Wedgewood has had past success against Carolina, making 44 saves in his Dallas debut in March 2022 in a memorable outing in Raleigh.
Carolina’s 9-3-0 home record reflects back-to-back losses on home ice. Overall, the team has dropped five of its last seven games (2-4-1). Including Thursday’s contest, the Hurricanes will play five of their next six games at home.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to come together and get back to our winning ways,” Robinson said. “Everybody is working hard. Everybody wants to win.”
The visit to Raleigh marks the second stop on Colorado’s five-game road trip.
–Field Level Media
