1. Quick Start
Head coach Mike Vellucci had this to say Thursday on the keys to the opening game: "If we can pot one early and get a goal quick, you start building momentum."
The Hurricanes followed that game plan pretty much exactly, scoring twice in the first half of the first period to take a 2-0 lead.
Geekie was the first to strike, taking a pass from Stelio Mattheos in the rush and beating St. Louis goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick five-hole for the tournament's first goal.
"That was a great play by Geekie to go five-hole," Vellucci said.
Then, on the team's first power play of the game, some quick puck movement from Necas to Andrei Svechnikov resulted in a shot on goal, and Gauthier cleaned up the rebound.
"Gauthier had net-front [presence], but it was also the seam pass," Vellucci said. "Necas to Andrei, and then Goat being strong in front of the net to get the rebound. Quick movement. We worked on it yesterday."
2. Playing with the Lead
Skating with an early 2-0 advantage calmed whatever nerves the Hurricanes' prospects might have had and allowed them to control the pace of play. They were dominant in the first period, controlling possession and quick to loose pucks.
"We wanted to get a couple of goals there," Vellucci said. "It frees you up a little bit more, almost too much in the second period."