There’s less than 10 games left of the regular NHL season. While the Carolina Hurricanes (49-20-8) have already clinched a playoff spot, they still sit just two points ahead of the New York Rangers in the Metro Division standings.
As the regular season winds down and the playoff picture gets drawn up, let’s take a look at these last few days of Canes hockey and discuss some key takeaways for the rest of the regular season.
Lighting the lamp
The Hurricanes’ success on offense continues to be one of their greatest strengths heading down the stretch.
Right wing Andrei Svechnikov and center Sebastian Aho have continued their great seasons as of late, with Aho leading the team in goals and points. Svechnikov has five points in the last five games while Aho has nine points in the month of April, including a two-goal game against the Buffalo Sabres on April 7.
Defenseman Brady Skjei has also made an impact as of late with five points since April 10. Center Max Domi, the Canes’ lone addition at the trade deadline, also joined in on the scoring action with a two-point performance against the Arizona Coyotes April 18, including his first goal for Carolina.
Center Jordan Staal has been another notable name, riding a hot streak in April with eight goals including a hat trick against the Anaheim Ducks on April 10 and two more goals against the Coyotes.
The depth throughout the lineup and the ability to score no matter who is on the ice has brought Carolina to where it sits right now and can carry the team through the postseason, so long as its defense stays strong as well.
Goaltending depth getting tested
Goaltenders Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta anchored the Canes in net for much of the season. This netminding duo has been a large part of what has made this team so successful.
Andersen had an All-Star-caliber season up until February, where his play dropped off after a week-long break in the schedule to start the month. Andersen only let up 58 goals in 30 games before that stretch, but has already allowed 52 goals in just 22 games since then. He also sustained an injury that required him to be helped off the ice at the tail end of his most recent appearance on April 16. While there haven’t been many details released about that lower-body injury, he’s expected to be out at least a week.
In response, Carolina called up goalie Pyotr Kochetkov from the Chicago Wolves, who has a 13-1-1 record with a .921 save percentage in the AHL.
Kochetkov has yet to make his NHL debut, but the Canes need Andersen back quickly to have any hope of winning the Metro and advancing past the first round of the playoffs. The Hurricanes will also hope that Andersen looks closer to his early-season form when he returns.
Dinged up down the stretch
Aside from Andersen, Staal and center Jesperi Kotkaniemi have been banged up as well.
Both injuries seem to be day-to-day, so it’s possible Kotkaniemi, Staal or both see the ice in the Hurricanes’ next matchup against the Winnipeg Jets on April 21. These two are huge pieces of the lineup that Carolina would hope to have back sooner rather than later.
Trips to the box
Another recent struggle for the Hurricanes is their inability to stay out of the penalty box.
In the past five games alone, Carolina has been on the penalty kill 17 times. While their PK unit ranks best in the league, the team can’t keep giving its opponents easier chances to score, especially with recent instability in the net.
For continued success down the road, the Canes need to clean up their game and keep five skaters on the ice.
The final countdown
Carolina has just two more games at home in the regular season, against the Jets and the New Jersey Devils, while it hits the road for the other three games in between.
One of those away games includes a matchup against the Rangers, who are currently battling Carolina for first place in the Metro division.
The Hurricanes hold a slim two-point lead over the Rangers, so all five of Carolina’s remaining games will hold importance as the Canes fight to stay on top and secure a higher seed on their road to the Stanley Cup Final.
