RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes (1-6-2) finally got their first win of the season on Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes (3-6-1), and it wasn't a fluke or a lucky break. It was a pretty dominating win from start to finish -- a 3-0 final -- and it was big for a team coming off of a five-game road trip that desperately needed a win and some sort of positive momentum.
1. First-year head coach Bill Peters gets his first NHL win.
He deflected any and all praise directed his way for getting the win, but his goalkeeper Cam Ward made sure his head coach kept the puck. It's going to be a long journey for both Peters and the Hurricanes for the rest of this season and maybe beyond, but it was a load off of the minds of everyone involved that they finally got at least one win this season.
The Hurricanes don't have a ton of high-caliber talent on this roster, and especially not healthy talent at the moment, but the team worked hard and as a unit to get the win. That's the type of culture Peters has been trying to establish.
"Winning hurts, to a certain degree," Peters said. "You should be blocking shots. You should be paying a price and selling out. Most of us did that tonight, and that's what you have to do. When you get that culture established, then you're going to win more often than not."
2. The healthy scratch of Alexander Semin paid off, at least for one night.
With Nathan Gerbe and Patrick Dwyer back at the forward spots, Peters finally had the option of benching Carolina's $7 million man who's been largely ineffective. And so he did it, making Semin (along with the similarly-struggling John-Michael Liles) healthy scratches.
It was only a matter of time before such a move had to be made. But it also perhaps sent a message to some of the Hurricanes' other underperforming stars that they too could be benched at any time, and guys like Eric Staal, Justin Faulk and others played with renewed energy.
"I wanted competitive players. I want to compete. I want to play with speed. I thought we had speed tonight," Peters said. "If you're playing at the NHL pace, which is high, then you're going to be an effective player. If you're not going to move your feet and work and play, it doesn't matter who you are. If you put your skill in front of your will and your ability to work, it's a tough way to make a living," Peters said.
"You've got to play at a high pace and you've got to go to high-traffic areas. We had good looks tonight. We had a lot of guys banging away in the slot, second and third-shot opportunities, and that's how we need to score. So if guys play the way we want to play, then you reward them with ice time and opportunity.
3. The Hurricanes killed penalties well.
Not much has been going right in any area of the game for the Hurricanes up to this point, but they were 21st in the NHL in penalty kills (but at 79.3 percent). They killed all three Arizona penalties and have allowed two power-play goals in the last seven games (22-of-24).
To be able to overcome moments when they are a man down will be big for this team going forward.
"I thought the kill in the third (period) was much better. In the first, we ran around a little bit and (Ward) had to make some big saves, and he did that for us. Then we settled down and did a better job in that third on the PK," Peters said.
Cam Ward: The longtime Canes' keeper grinned at his locker as a firefighter's hat sat atop his head after he recorded his first shutout since March 2012. It was given to him by Peters, an MVP trophy of sorts, or Player of the Game. He finished with 25 stops on night. "You play this game not to get scored on, so to be able to get a shutout is a huge bonus and it definitely feels good," Ward said. "But any goaltender will tell you, you can't do it without your teammates. Fortunately, I felt like I was seeing the puck really well but that was because of the way the players were playing in front of me. Respect to them because they deserve it."
Elias Lindholm: The second-year goalscorer, like the rest of his teammates, hadn't had the best start to the season. But he broke out in a big way against Arizona, scoring the Hurricanes' first goal 3:57 into the first period and adding a second one later in that same period. He was active in all areas, dishing out hits on one end and being exactly where he needed to be on the other. "I think he got a little bigger and stronger over the summer," Jeff Skinner said of Lindholm. "He's had some chances, been knocking on the door and it's nice to see it pay off for him."
Justin Faulk: Carolina's best defenseman has had an up-and-down season, but he finished with a +2 in 22:26 of ice time and took five shots, adding a team-high four takeaways. He was one of the Canes' star players who needed a jolt, and he got it.
