The Carolina Hurricanes will play the final home game of their season Thursday night as they take on the New Jersey Devils at PNC Arena.
The Canes have the potential to clinch their first playoff berth since 2009 with a regulation or overtime win over New Jersey coupled with any loss by the Montreal Canadiens who are playing Thursday night in Washington. If the Hurricanes win in the shootout, they would need Montreal to lose in regulation to clinch.
The Pittsburgh Penguins, who sit third in the Metropolitan division and two points ahead of Carolina, are also in action Thursday as they take on the Detroit Red Wings.
The Devils have been decimated by injuries in what has certainly been a disappointing season for the New Jersey team which qualified for the playoffs last season and which could now finish this season as low as 30th.
Star winger and reigning Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall has been out from the Devils lineup since Dec. 23 with a knee injury, and current New Jersey team points leader, Kyle Palmieri, will not be available for the game at Carolina after being held out against the New York Rangers on April 1 with a lower-body injury.
In goal for the Devils will most likely be rookie netminder, Mackenzie Blackwood, who has set himself as a potential number-one goalie moving forward for New Jersey. Blackwood won his only career game against Carolina in a shutout performance in December.
For Carolina, the question of netminder is a toss-up, as both Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney have put up exceptional seasons for the Hurricanes. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour will either stick with the hot-hand of Mrazek who backstopped the Canes to a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday night, or he will continue his rotation and go with the cool head of McElhinney.
The Hurricanes have also relied heavily on their depth and defensive scoring as of late in the absence of goals from their top line. Sebastian Aho, Justin Williams and Nino Niederreiter have combined for only five goals in their last 12 games, but despite this, the top line has found success being paired against and shutting down the other top lines around the league.
Still, with the possible return of playoff hockey to Carolina, a big offensive game from the number-one line would be a welcome sign for the Canes postseason potential.
Left winger Warren Foegele bails to celebrate after scoring on Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby during the second period in PNC Arena, Thursday, March 28, 2019. Despite an equally matched hustle throughout regulation, the Canes fell to the Caps, 3-2.
