The Carolina Hurricanes have been one of the best teams with the puck so far in 2026-27. But they have flat-out dominated in one period.
Per EdgeHalla, the Hurricanes have scored 31 of their 64 goals this season in the second period. That number boasts a significant lead over the 13 goals Carolina has scored in the first period and the 19 scored in the third. The final goal came in overtime.
EdgeHalla also shared that Carolina ranks 22nd in the league in first-period scoring, second in the second period, and 16th in the third.
Scoring in the second was also the case on Tuesday night when the Hurricanes lost to the Nashville Predators 4-1. Breakout candidate Jackson Blake scored Carolina’s lone goal in the second period. Ironically, they have also allowed more goals in the second (14) than they have in the first (13) and third (11).
While the Hurricanes have been one of the NHL’s best teams in the second frame, they could be even more dominant if they got hot during the first period.
Hurricanes Have Flat-Out Dominated When Scoring First
Carolina is 9-1-0 when they score first, and 3-2-2 after allowing the first goal. On Tuesday, the Hurricanes found themselves down 2-0 before Blake put them on the board. But the Hurricanes, despite their season-long success in the third period, couldn’t quite claw their way back into the game.
While they can take or extend leads in the second period, the numbers show that slower starts can be too little, too late for the Hurricanes. They are very good at maintaining leads. Starting hot, scoring first, and refusing to let opponents back into the game should keep them among one of the NHL’s most dominant teams, without question, in 2026-27.
For Carolina, the formula would be simple: Score the first goal in the first period and score it before an opponent, gain more momentum with a dominant second period, then refuse to give up the lead in the third.
Through 17 games, Carolina has allowed .647 goals in the third period. That is a low number. One that indicates opponents would have a tough time tying games against Carolina in the third.
Teams won’t be this good or execute their game plans perfectly every night. Just look at what happened against Nashville. But if the Hurricanes do this in seven out of every 10 of their remaining games in 2026-27, few opponents will look forward to playing them.
Even Defending Stanley Cup Champions Have Room To Improve
For Carolina, it is down to nitpicking, given their overall dominance that includes an incredible shots-for vs. shots-against ratio in 2026-27. Plus, they are still generally skating away with at least a point when they don’t score first.
Still, against those tougher opponents in the Metro that Carolina will be warding off — and those in the Atlantic who will ultimately look for home-ice advantage throughout the postseason — they should improve this one aspect of their game in November.
Keep an eye on when the Hurricanes score and how they play when they score the first goal. They will get their next chance on Thursday when they face the New York Islanders.
Hurricanes Turned One Period Into An Offensive Nightmare for Opponents