Aho's Hat Trick Turns the Tide for Hurricanes

Sebastian Aho did the heavy lifting tonight: three goals and an assist that flipped a game Carolina needed. The box score shows the volume — 12 shots and 4 points — and his presence tilted the run of play. Aho's teammates generated far more of the team's expected goals while he was on the ice (the group created 5.65 expected goals compared with 1.59 allowed), and the group created 18 high-danger chances versus 9 against when he skated. That translated to an on-ice expected-goals share of 78%, evidence of sustained pressure in the attacking end. He also drove the power play, picking up 2 power-play goals and 3 power-play points while logging 6 PP minutes per game. Couple that finishing with a strong faceoff night (faceoff win rate 64.3%) and you get a forward who both started possessions and buried chances. Aho’s individual expected goals — how many his shots were worth — was 1.51, supporting that he generated valuable looks and turned pressure into goals for Carolina.