The Carolina Hurricanes could hardly have wished for a better finale before the 2023 All-Star weekend. They beat the Buffalo Sabers 5-1 away at the KeyBank Center on Wednesday. They won their seventh game in a row before a ten-day break and scored for the tenth time in a row (9-0-1).
“There’s a little bit of everything, that’s the secret,” coach Rod Brind’Amour tried to explain the key to success. “There are certain factors in every game. We’ve played fairly consistently, our players work hard. Those are the cornerstones of our team. Contributions come from every line… It’s impressive that we’ve kept winning despite players being out are.”
Against the Sabers, it was once again the top scorers who initiated Carolina’s success early on. Sebastian Oh converted a power play in the third minute with his 23rd goal of the season to make it 1-0. In this way, he extended his very personal series of successes. The center scored in the sixth game in a row. Only two players, Pierre Larouche (1981/82) and Ray Ferraro (1988/89), managed to do that before him in franchise history.
Video: CAR@BUF: Aho is successful with a majority
“Right now the puck just goes in,” he kept his explanation simple. “Today, of course, I got another incredible pass from Teuvo (Teravainen). All I had to do was hold out the racquet. My team-mates and the power play create these chances and we try to take them.”
Stefan Noesen (11th) and defenders Brent Burns (13.) increased against the Sabers to 3:0. In the final section provided Derek Stepan (51.) and Jordan Martinook (59th; sh) for the final score. Burns, 37, scored for the seventh time in a row. In the entire history of the NHL, only seven defenders of this age have achieved this. Burns only came to Carolina last summer through a transfer from the San Jose Sharks.
“He’s an incredible person, player and teammate,” said Brind’Amour of the attacking defender. “He just fulfills every imaginable requirement. I’ve joked about it before, but I wish we’d had him here for ten years. You don’t miss players like that. I’m really happy to have him here.”
Video: CAR@BUF: Burns scores in the first third
The Hurricanes delivered a points streak of at least ten games for the second time this season. Between November 25th and January 1st they never went empty handed for 17 consecutive times. With 76 points (34-9-8), they rank first in the metropolitan division and second in the overall NHL.
The level they have consistently delivered throughout the season continues to reinforce their favorite status for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. No wonder, since the only other season they’ve had two or more ten-game point streaks ended in the 2006 Stanley Cup.
The strong form the Hurricanes have been in for the past several weeks is now being punctuated by the break surrounding the All-Star Game. After ten days off, they return to action on February 11 with a home game against the New York Rangers and can already look forward to another highlight of their season. On February 18, they host the Washington Capitals at the Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series 2023 in the open air.
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The special experience of an outdoor game will hardly distract Carolina from the fact that after the break the season is slowly but surely heading towards the playoffs. In the decisive phase of the main round, it is then important to get a good starting position for the post-season and to get in the right shape mentally and playfully in order to achieve the maximum when it counts. From what the Hurricanes have shown this season, anything less than a push into the final rounds of the knockout phase would come as a surprise and certainly a disappointment.