Shayne Gostisbehere returns from a lengthy absence, immediately dominating with a goal and two points and showcasing his exceptional two-way game.
In terms of health, it's been a tough season for Shayne Gostisbehere.
The veteran blueliner has missed 26 games so far this season, including the team's last nine games heading into Saturday's matchup with the New Jersey Devils.
So one would have expected him to perhaps be a but rusty in his return, right?
Well that would have been the wrong assumption as Gostisbehere was absolutely dominant in his first game back, putting up a goal and two points in a stellar performance as he helped Carolina to a 5-2 win.
Gostisbehere has been a man on a mission all season when he's been healthy, as the defenseman is nearly a point-per-game player on the year, now with 45 points in 46 games.
But even beyond the offense, he's been one of Carolina's best defenders just overall with a strong and dependable two-way game and that showed especially so again against New Jersey.
Gostisbehere's goal was a prime example of his two-way dominance as well, as it materialized off of him having a strong gap in the neutral zone and therefore being able to steal an outlet pass.
He picked off the pass, skated the puck into the offensive zone and then just ripped a shot past Jacob Markstrom.
One would never have thought he had been on the shelf for three weeks.
"He was very good," said Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour. "He's got his hands all over the offense of things, but I thought he played really good away from the puck too. He's a big part of what we're doing."
The pairing of Shayne Gostisbehere and Alexander Nikishin was actually the Hurricanes' best too, dominating the 5v5 chance share 26-7, high-danger chances 8-0, outshooting the Devils 13-1 and contributing on two goals.
Both players were playing some of their best hockey of the season with the way they transitioned the puck through all three zones, neutralized chances and of course poured on the offense.
They'll need both players to continue to shine as the postseason draws nearer and nearer.
Recent Articles
Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.