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Hurricanes cap homestand vs. Bruins

By The Sports Xchange
David Pastrnak and the Boston Bruins face the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. Photo by Alex Edelman/UPI
David Pastrnak and the Boston Bruins face the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. Photo by Alex Edelman/UPI | License Photo

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Two teams sorting through issues on the offensive end meet when the Boston Bruins visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night at PNC Arena.

For the Bruins, it's a matter of recovering after a shutout loss.

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For Carolina, it's doing something about a power play that has gone to waste too often.

A 3-0 home loss Saturday night to the Montreal Canadiens came without the crisp play that the Bruins have shown they're capable of producing.

"We did not execute well enough," Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said.

The Hurricanes went 0-for-3 on power plays in Sunday's 2-1 home loss to the New York Islanders. That dips Carolina to 4-for-38 on power plays this season.

"Pucks are going to go in at some point," coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "The whole group, we get a bounce here or there (and it's a different feeling)."

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Carolina captain Justin Williams said the lingering misfortune on power plays is something that needs to be turned around.

"Yes, we deserved better," Williams said. "Players out there have to make plays. ... It's no secret formula. We have to find a way to get one on special teams every night. We need just a little bit more."

For some reason, the Hurricanes often have been full of quality chances in 5-on-5 situations, but those tend to be more spotty when they're skating with a man advantage.

"Maybe we just need to relax and make some plays there," Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho said. "Sometimes when we have a chance to shoot, we pass. We've got to work on it. We have to outwork them on (power plays). We do a good job with that 5-on-5."

Otherwise, Aho has had few difficulties and he'll go for outright possession of a team record in the Boston game.

Aho holds a share of a franchise record with at least one point in the first 11 games of the season.

"There's probably lots of reasons," Aho said. "You get a lot of confidence there, good linemates."

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To keep the streak, Aho probably will have to convert against Boston goalie Jaroslav Halak, who's 3-0-2 this season.

The Hurricanes could turn to goalie Scott Darling for his season debut. This will be the team's third game since he was activated last week. He was out since suffering a groin injury in the preseason finale.

Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk is doubtful to play after he suffered a lower-body injury against Montreal. He didn't practice Monday.

On the plus side, it could be the season debut for Bruins defenseman Torey Krug, who has been out since the preseason with a left foot injury.

"If (Cassidy) makes the decision to put me in, I'm going to be ready," Krug said. "I don't feel 100 percent, but I feel about as good as I could for the circumstances. ... I'm excited to be part of the group again."

The Bruins recalled forward Colby Cave from Providence of the American Hockey League.

Boston went 3-0-0 last season against the Hurricanes, with one of the outcomes in overtime.

This caps a three-game homestand for Carolina, which doesn't return home until Nov. 10.

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