The Carolina Hurricanes are running out of time in their pursuit of the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot. A home game against the Ottawa Senators should give them a very good chance to gain some much-needed points.
Senators goaltenders Craig Anderson and Curtis McElhinney haven’t been on the team long enough to be part of the recent one-sided trips to the RBC Center, but they’ve each had some trouble of their own against the Hurricanes.
Anderson, acquired Feb. 18 from Colorado, was signed to a four-year, $12.75 million contract Monday. He went 6-3-0 with a 1.44 GAA and one shutout in his first nine games with Ottawa, but struggled a bit in his last two as he allowed nine goals on 58 shots in just over four periods.
McElhinney, claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay on Feb. 28, has managed to pick up where Anderson left off. McElhinney has stopped 68 of 71 shots in winning the Senators’ last two games, and is 3-1-0 with a 1.63 GAA in four appearances with his new team.
McElhinney, however, allowed six goals in his only start against the Hurricanes while playing for Calgary on March 6, 2009. Anderson is 2-0-2 lifetime versus Carolina, but has posted a 3.46 GAA in those games.
Like the Hurricanes, the Senators (27-36-9) also rallied for a 3-2 overtime victory in their latest contest.
Trailing Tampa Bay 2-0 after two periods Saturday, Ryan Shannon and Nick Foligno scored in the third period and Jason Spezza capped the comeback 3:28 into OT. It was the fifth victory in seven games for the Senators, who won six of 28 before this stretch.
“The guys have worked hard,” Foligno said. “We’re feeding off each other’s energy and it couldn’t be at a better time.”
Ninth-place Carolina (33-29-10) is three points back of Buffalo for eighth, and each team has 10 games remaining. The Hurricanes had been struggling mightily, but hope a 3-2 overtime win over the New York Islanders on Friday can spark a playoff push.
Erik Cole tied the score at 2 with 4:37 remaining in the third period and Joni Pitkanen scored his third goal of the season in OT to snap a three-game home losing streak.
“As a team, it’s really important that you can find a way to get to that desperation level,” coach Paul Maurice said. “Then we found it, were able to change gears and good things started happening.”
It was a step in the right direction for the Hurricanes, who managed two or fewer goals in each of their previous six games (1-4-1). They are 27-3-4 when scoring at least three goals.
Carolina has had little trouble reaching that mark against the Senators at home lately.
The Hurricanes have outscored Ottawa 24-6 in winning the last six meetings at the RBC Center, allowing one goal in each game. In the only meeting in Raleigh this season Nov. 17, Eric Staal had three goals and two assists, while Chad LaRose added two goals and two assists in a 7-1 victory.
Cam Ward has appeared in four games during this winning streak, stopping 91 of 95 shots. He has gone 4-1-0 with a 1.21 goals-against average and one shutout in his last five starts in the series.