RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes’ top goal scorers from the regular season — Seth Jarvis, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov — have gone ice cold when it matters most in the playoffs.
While other players stepped up during the first three playoff rounds to compensate, this scoring drought has become a critical issue that threatens their Stanley Cup hopes.
Carolina faces a formidable opponent in the Vegas Golden Knights, an experienced team without obvious flaws who captured the series opener 5-4. As Game 2 approaches Thursday evening, the spotlight falls on the Hurricanes’ star players to deliver before time runs out.
“I know we have a better in us, and we’ve got to show it,” Aho said Wednesday. “It’s on us to figure it out.”
Across 14 postseason contests, Jarvis, Aho and Svechnikov have found the net only three times at even strength against opposing goaltenders. The production from Carolina’s second line — featuring Taylor Hall, Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake — helped the team cruise past Ottawa, Philadelphia and Montreal with just one defeat across those three series.
Vegas presents a completely different challenge, and the opening game revealed growing frustration within the first line.
“This league is weird: You grip your stick a little tight and you get into a weird matchup, and it can look worse than it is,” Hall said. “But things can change on a dime, especially this time of year.”
Carolina has waited almost two months for that turnaround. Coach Rod Brind’Amour had shown patience for weeks, praising Jarvis, Aho and Svechnikov for their defensive contributions that help the team win, despite their lack of offensive production.
His approach has shifted now that the team faces elimination pressure in the championship series.
“They got to play in the other team’s end,” Brind’Amour said. “They’re too much one and done and not even one (scoring chance), and it’s not a lot of time. So, they got to get a little more offensive zone time. Kind of like that last shift they had. That was one of the shifts you could say: ‘OK, there you go. That’s how it needs to look.’ We need them to get going.”
That closing shift occurred with the game tied late in Tuesday’s third period, pinning the Golden Knights in their defensive zone and creating quality scoring opportunities. Jarvis saw one shot blocked, followed by two more saves from Carter Hart, including a spectacular glove stop that led to Tomas Hertl’s game-winner 21 seconds afterward.
This represented a significant upgrade from earlier moments when Jarvis declined an open shooting opportunity while seeking a pass, then later missed an empty net.
“The chances are there,” Jarvis said. “We’ve had our looks. We just have to capitalize now more than ever. We can’t dwell on the past, can’t dwell on the stuff we missed. It’s about the next shift, the next shot.”
That’s easier to accomplish in theory since Vegas will make adjustments as well. Coach John Tortorella has emphasized maintaining their current strategy, and there’s good reason the team has won 20 of 25 games since he assumed control in late March.
“We have thoughts on how to play this team,” Tortorella said. “We need to be patient. In a number of things, how we have to play, I think, requires patience — and when you get a little antsy against that team, they can capitalize. They’re that good. I think we have an understanding of how we have to go.”
Although Jarvis, Aho and Svechnikov have appeared out of sync at times, there’s little indication this stems from insufficient effort. Perhaps they’re pushing too hard.
“It’s not about work ethic or trying harder, but it doesn’t matter at the same time,” Aho said. “There’s also a part that we almost sometimes try to do too much, instead of just letting the game happen and play the game, let the game come to you in a way.”
Fellow players are working to maintain morale and keep those struggling forwards mentally focused. Defenseman Jalen Chatfield emphasizes staying positive.
“Everybody’s giving everything out there,” Chatfield said. “That’s not the question. Sometimes it’s bounces. Sometimes things happen in hockey, but I think as a group, (it is about) leaning on each other to help each other play our best.”
Hall, selected first overall in 2010 and the 2017-18 MVP who has found success with his sixth NHL team at age 34, doesn’t believe he needs to mentor other struggling players. He remains confident that Jarvis, Aho and Svechnikov will break through.
“Those guys are great players,” Hall said. “They had their chances and their looks (in Game 1). Some of the looks didn’t turn into chances. But we know how good they are, and we know how good they can be and it’s only a matter of time.”
