After a rocky trip through Western Canada concluded with a loss to the Vancouver Canucks, the Carolina Hurricanes held a players’-only meeting on Saturday.
A 4-3 defeat to the Canucks followed losses to the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets, dropping Carolina’s record to 14-12-1 and pushing the team outside the current playoff picture.
Three of the losses were one-goal defeats, with the exception of a 6-1 mid-week setback in Edmonton.
During that game, Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour called out his team in a television interview.
“We’re on our way to lose 50-0 right now,” Brind’Amour told TNT’s Darren Pang in the second period. “I’ve never seen our team play this brutal. I’m lost for words, to be quiet honest with you.”
The Hurricanes were a popular pick to contend for the Stanley Cup prior to the season.
Carolina now goes east for two more road games this week — against the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings.