Fun-loving Hurricanes look to extend win streak at Vancouver

There's no question the Carolina Hurricanes like to have fun -- as evidenced by the Storm Surge, their choreographed and intricate celebrations after victories at home.

But it appears they also know when it's time to get serious.

Take Tuesday night's opener of a five-game trip that continues Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks.

After building a three-goal lead against the Edmonton Oilers, the Hurricanes allowed the next three goals. However, they responded with three more goals of their own for a 6-3 victory, which was led by Sebastian Aho's two goals.

"It's really important to have the fun, but usually there's a lot of work before the fun," Aho told the News & Observer of Raleigh, N.C., earlier this week. "You have to have the confidence so you can make those plays, and then it starts feeling fun.

"Obviously winning helps. But it's hard work before fun. And when you win and have fun, it's obviously the best time to play hockey."

Aho, who scored his 100th career goal Tuesday, was coming off a hat trick in a 6-2 victory against the visiting Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

After that game, Aho "stabbed" teammate Teuvo Teravainen in a mock Star Wars fight with hockey sticks as lightsabers.

Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour, whose team is riding a three-game winning streak, doesn't object to the celebrations.

"For these guys it's like Groundhog Day over and over and over, and trying to get better every day and it's work and work and the same message every day," he said. "It's nice to have a little fun, too. These guys seem to know how to do that. ...

"It's like any job. If you're enjoying what you do, you seem to do it a little better. There's a fine line, too, of taking it too far, but I think we've done a real good job of that. I think our guys get it. It's no fun when you don't win. I don't care how much you try to have fun, if you're not winning, it's a grind. So we've got to keep winning."

The Canucks are coming off a 4-1 home loss to Toronto on Tuesday night, when Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen made 38 saves.

"We had a lot of chances," said Canucks forward Josh Leivo, who scored his team's lone goal. "I don't think we should be down on the way we played. We battled; we had a lot of shots. Andersen stood on his head and played really well."

The Canucks had a two-game winning streak snapped.

"If we play like that for a lot of the games this year, we win," Canucks captain Bo Horvat told NHL.com. "It's a tough loss to take. I wish we at least got a point out of it."

Jacob Markstrom made 22 saves for Vancouver in his first game back after attending his father's funeral in Sweden.

Canucks forward Micheal Ferland, who was playing in his second game after missing 17 with a concussion, left after playing just one shift in the second period because of an undisclosed upper-body injury.

Vancouver coach Travis Green said Ferland isn't in the concussion protocol but was to meet with team doctors Wednesday. The Canucks recalled forward Zack MacEwen from Utica of the American Hockey League to provide insurance. MacEwen, 23, had one goal and one assist in seven games for Vancouver earlier this season.

--Field Level Media