Coming off three straight losses and the possibility of fumbling first place in the Metropolitan Division, it was a must-win game for the Carolina Hurricanes in their final home contest of the regular season against the Detroit Red Wings.
The Hurricanes (51-21-9) got off to a fast start on their way to a win over the Red Wings (35-36-10) at PNC Arena. With the win, the Canes secured home-ice advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs. Additionally, the Canes will have a chance in their final game of the season to crown themselves Metropolitan Division champions.
The Hurricanes secured their 111th point of the season partly thanks to a brisk first period. After three straight games of allowing the first goal of the contest, Carolina flipped the script at home thanks to right wing Stefan Noesen’s wraparound goal. The goal was scored during a 91-second shift in the Detroit end by center Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s line, which seemed to set the tone for the entire period.
The early goal provided a spark for the entire team in the first frame. Just moments after Noesen’s goal, defenseman Brady Skjei set up left wing Jordan Martinook to give the Canes an early two-goal lead. Carolina goaltender Antii Raanta shut the door on Detroit’s late-period surge in the final minutes of the frame.
Early in the second frame, Detroit defenseman Jordan Oesterle was called for holding on Noesen and gave Carolina an early chance within the frame to put the game away. Similar to how the entire season has gone, Carolina was unable to convert on the power play and only saw a few grade-A chances. Shortly after the unsuccessful power play, defenseman Robert Hagg buried a shot past Raanta’s blocker side to cut Detroit’s deficit in half.
Halfway through the frame, defenseman Brent Burns wristed a shot from just inside the blue line that hit off the backside of Red Wings center Joe Veleno and past goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, regaining Carolina’s two-goal lead. After 40 minutes of play, the Canes led 3-1 and had 55 seconds to kill off a power play to start the third due to a slashing penalty on Skjei with 1:05 remaining in the second.
Carolina started the frame with a smooth penalty kill, which established play for the remainder of the game. Within the frame, Raanta was steady and made big saves when the team needed him too, and late in the game, Kotkaniemi sealed the deal with a long empty net goal to secure the 4-1 win.
The Canes currently hold a one-point lead on the New Jersey Devils and control their own destiny with just one game remaining. Carolina will look to win the Metropolitan Division with two points on Thursday, April 11 in the Sunshine State against the Florida Panthers at FLA Live Arena.
