The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the New York Islanders 5-3 on Thursday, Nov. 5, at UBS Arena in Elmont.
But either way, the Canes were not exempt from criticism. In particular, Rod Brind’Amour’s team drew criticism for its defensive performance.
The Chicago Blackhawks will surely take note as Carolina faces them this Saturday, Nov. 7.
Although they came away with the win, some believe the result could have been different without goaltender Brandon Bussi.
That is what ESPN’s Adam Gold said on the postgame edition of the “Canes Corner” podcast.
Adam Gold: Hurricanes Were ‘Generous and Poor With the Puck’ vs. Islanders
He said, “The Islanders were the better team in the first period. If it wasn’t for Brandon Bussi, that could have been 2-2 after one. Even though the Hurricanes started the game with two goals in the first three and a half minutes.”
“And then Carolina continued to be generous and poor with the puck and clumsy in your own end.”
“I don’t know what the deal was. But the Hurricanes spent a lot of time stumbling around, getting twisted on the first goal; Jaccob Slavin lost his balance maybe three times. Seth Jarvis on the second goal turned the wrong way. Brandon Bussi came out to try to, I don’t know, poke-check the puck away from Brayden Schenn.”
“And Shen comes around behind the net and wraps it in because Bussi couldn’t get all the way back.”
“Then for the third goal after the (Andrei) Svechnikov goal that put them ahead back 3-2, the third goal, Taylor Hall was getting a pass from K’Andre Miller. It hit him like he was a pitchback.”
“But the pass, I think it was from Miller to Hall at the defensive blue line. It just bounces right off of it, comes back into the zone, and now Carolina’s got to defend again, which they did reasonably well.”
“Miller is trying to get the puck out, but it hits the referee in the corner. And Jankowski has the puck go off him and it ends up on the stick of, who was it? Victor Eklund? And all of a sudden it’s 3-3.”
“I mean, Carolina wasn’t great with the puck. That was sort of unlucky.”
Hurricanes Handed Defensive Warning Before Blackhawks Game