Hurricanes Take the Bruins Down a Peg

The Boston Bruins (38-7-5) have the NHL’s best record by nine points. Their +78 goal-differential puts every other NHL team to shame.

But for two-plus hours Sunday afternoon, the Carolina Hurricanes said they can be better than the Bruins.

Sebastian Aho scored his seventh goal in the past four games to get the Hurricanes started toward a 4-1 win against the league-leading Bruins.

The Hurricanes have won five in a row, and boast points in eight consecutive games (7-0-1). Meanwhile, the Bruins have lost three consecutive games for the first time this season. They hadn’t lost two games in a row before this weekend. On Saturday, they lost 4-3 in overtime to the Florida Panthers.

The Carolina loss marked the first time this season the Bruins lost to a Metropolitan Division team. The Bruins were 14-0 against the Metropolitan coming into this game.

“We know that team is the cream of the crop, and they’re lapping everybody right now,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “They played last night…we’re trying to catch them. We’re at home, a good crowd. I think that’s probably part of it, too.”

The Hurricanes did it without top shutdown defenseman Jaccob Slavin who has missed the last four Carolina games with a lower body injury.

Goalie Frederik Andersen made 24 saves and helped the Hurricanes stop six Boston power play opportunities. Andersen is 5-0 in six starts since coming back from an injury that kept him sidelined 29 games.

The Hurricanes feel good about their postseason chances: They rank fourth overall (2.63) in goals-against and 11th in scoring average per game (3.27). Their offensive potential did take a hit when Max Pacioretty was lost to an Achilles injury. However, Carolina GM Don Waddell reportedly is looking for more scoring in the trade market.

🍾 John Tavares celebrates 1,000th NHL game with 5-1 win over the Capitals. Tavares wasn't rattled by the Leafs' pregame ceremony as he registered two assists, including an apple on Morgan Rielly's 1st goal of the season, which ended up being the game-winner (watch here). Michael Bunting, William Nylander, Pierre Engvall, and Zach Aston-Reese all contributed goals while Ilya Samsonov made 23 saves on 24 shots against.

🆘 Oilers' honor Emergency Backup Goalie (EBUG) with player-of-the-game motorcycle vest. Thanks to Oilers' netminder Stuart Skinner coming down with an illness Saturday, the Oilers called upon their EBUG, Matt Berlin, who is in his third season with the University of Alberta. The 25-year-old netminder received a text Saturday at 4:30 PM informing him he wouldn't just be sitting in the stands in case of an emergency but he'd be on the bench as the official backup. Up 7-3 late in the third period, Berlin was thrust into NHL action, making one save on Caleb Jones in the final 2:26 of the game. Naturally, the Oilers honored Berlin with their motorcycle vest.

Who holds the NHL's all-time record for most saves recorded in one game?

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Ron Tugnutt holds the NHL's all-time record for most saves in one game with 7