Recap: Canes Shut Out Coyotes

Backed by 23 saves from Petr Mrazek, the Carolina Hurricanes shut out the Arizona Coyotes, 3-0.
Warren Foegele, Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho netted goals for the Hurricanes, who snapped a three-game winless streak (0-2-1).
Here are five takeaways from this afternoon's game.

One
Following a day away from the rink - "It just felt like the guys needed a mental break from the game of hockey," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said - the Hurricanes returned refreshed for a matinee match-up with the Coyotes, and the result was a stable, 60-minute effort in which the Canes took a lead, built on it and finished to secure two points.

"It was pretty steady. There weren't any real lows," Brind'Amour said. "Came out well, and we just stuck to our game plan, which was nice to see. We did have a couple of breakdowns, but Petr was really good."
"We need everyone going here if we're going to get wins," Foegele said. "You could see all guys were rolling."
Two
With 23 saves, Mrazek recorded his 15th career shutout and first with the Hurricanes. It wasn't a particularly busy day for the Czech netminder, but he was solid when called upon.
"I did see the puck really well," Mrazek said. "That was the key today."
"He's been great all year. It's nice to see him rewarded with a shutout," Fogele said. "We need those big saves."
Mrazek's best save of the game came early in the second period, when the puck squirted out from the corner, and the Coyotes had a mini 2-on-1. Derek Stepan slid the puck past a defending Jaccob Slavin to Alex Goligoski, and Mrazek stretched across the crease to make the stop.

"I saw him there a little bit so I cheated a little bit on the push," Mrazek said. "I think he missed, too, because I don't think he wanted to go five-hole. Luckily it hit my stick."
That save came not too long after Mrazek got physical in his own crease. Lawson Crouse slashed his glove hand after Mrazek had covered the puck, and he responded with a couple shots of his own before bodies came together.
The Hurricanes played a physical game all day and finished with a 48-32 edge in hits.
Three
This one was a long time coming.
Foegele banged a juicy rebound off a Calvin de Haan point shot into a gaping net in the second period to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead. The goal was Foegele's first since Oct. 9 and first point since Oct. 16.

"I don't think I've ever gone that long without producing points like that," Foegele said, "but I'm more happy we got the win."
"I thought he's been playing well. He generates by his energy," Brind'Amour said. "He's physical and gets in on pucks. He got rewarded, and I thought he had a good game."
After scoring, Foegele emphatically tossed the proverbial monkey off his back (and maybe even punted it, too).
"A lot of emotions there," he laughed. "Just happy I can contribute."
Four
Four minutes after Foegele scored, the Canes executed in the rush to double their advantage. Justin Williams laid the puck off for Justin Faulk in the netural zone. Faulk gained the zone and drew a couple of sticks before threading a pass to Svechnikov, who had room to skate. Svechnikov lasered a wrist shot blocker side on Adin Hill for his ninth goal of the season.

Svechnikov, who has scored three goals in his last three games and is riding a three-game point streak, didn't play the last six minutes of the game.
"I'm not sure the extent of what's going on there. He tweaked something," Brind'Amour said. "He came to the bench and tried to go but couldn't. We'll find out."
Five
Since moving back to center on Dec. 7, Aho has posted points in five straight games (5g, 3a) and now has goals in three straight games (4g).
His goal in the first five minutes of the third period essentially sealed the victory for the Hurricanes. An aggressive forecheck - something that hampered the Coyotes all day - forced a turnover in the neutral zone. De Haan, who finished with two primary helpers, laid the puck off for Aho at the blue line. Aho gained the zone with speed and fired a snap shot five hole on a partial breakaway.

"I think he's been playing pretty well. Every game, you see that dynamic stuff now," Brind'Amour said. "He definitely looks dynamic out there."
Up Next
The Canes' five-game homestand rolls along on Thursday when the Detroit Red Wings come to town.