Why depth is on the Carolina Hurricanes' side as the NHL enters the stretch run
Published in Hockey
The difference is striking, though, on the other side of the special teams coin. Carolina is second in the NHL with an 86.1 percent kill rate while shorthanded. The Maple Leafs are 26th at 76.2 percent. The discrepancy is even more staggering when you consider the Canes have been shorthanded on average 3.21 times per game, seventh highest in the NHL, spending 5:18 per game down a skater. Toronto is near the bottom of the league with just 2.80 times shorthanded per game.
In Sunday’s game, the Hurricanes’ second goal came on the power play, an Aho bank shot off a Toronto defender.
“We had a bunch of good looks before that, though, and after, too. It was weird how it works out. Their goalie had a heck of a game. There were tons of opportunities and not a lot of goals,” Brind’Amour said.
The Canes’ penalty kill held the Maple Leafs scoreless on four attempts.
“We are playing against one of the league’s best penalty kills and they make it hard on you,” Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said. “We had some chances, but they don’t give you much.”
In three games this season, Toronto is 0 for 10 on the power play against Carolina.
_____
©2024 The News & Observer. Visit at newsobserver.com. Distributed at Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Comments