2023-24 Regular Season, Game 29: Hurricanes at Detroit Red Wings (Pregame)

The Hurricanes got back in the win column for the first time since before their road trip began. After a winless trip out west, the Canes stopped in Ottawa to face the Senators for the first time since Opening Night. Ottawa would get on the board first after Josh Norris redirected a shot past Pyotr Kochetkov, but that's all Kochetkov would allow. The Canes would get the goal back late in the first period on the power play. It was a collective effort from the second unit. It ended with Brady Skjei finding Martin Necas for a one-time blast to even it up. The penalty kill would set the tone in the second period, killing two early penalties to keep the game tied. After that, Sebastian Aho took over. The Canes scored three times in the final eight minutes, and Aho had a hand in all three. It started on the power play as Aho snapped one from the left dot to give the Canes the lead. Next, he set up Seth Jarvis on a 2-on-0 to push the lead to two goals. He'd top off the period with a similar goal to his earlier marker, snapping one during a 4-on-4 to make it 4-1. The third period would be all about Kochetkov and his strong finish. The icing on the cake was his flying poke check to deny Brady Tkachuk on a penalty shot that led to some words being exchanged between the two. Kochetkov made several impressive stops, including a two-pad stack in the second period, as part of a 31-save performance to help the Canes halt their four-game skid. 

The Opponent: Detroit Red Wings (15-9-4, 34 Points- 4th in the Atlantic Division)

When Steve Yzerman took over the Red Wings a few years ago, there was talk about "The Yzerplan" to bring Detroit back to the prominence it had during the 2000s. Having not been to the playoffs since 2016, the Red Wings were one of the most aggressive teams during free agency going into last season. It didn't amount to much, finishing 7th in the division. Yzerman made an even bigger push this offseason. JT Compher signed for five years. Justin Holl signed on for three years. Daniel Sprong and Shayne Gostisbehere each got one-year deals. However, the biggest move of them all was the trade with Ottawa to acquire Alex DeBrincat. All of the big moves might be paying off now. After losing on Opening Night, the Wings won their next five games, scoring 27 goals across the wins. They've hit a slight rough patch recently, losing three straight games, but they recovered with a 6-4 win on Tuesday night in St. Louis. You might've also heard that Patrick Kane signed with the team a few weeks ago, scoring his first goal with the team in his second game against Ottawa. Detroit's offense is averaging the second-most goals per game this season. Their attack is about as balanced as it gets. DeBrincat leads the way with 13 goals and 26 points. Dylan Larkin is right behind him with 25 points. Lucas Raymond is an early candidate for Breakout Player of the Year, sitting with ten goals and 24 points. Offseason additions Sprong and Gostisbehere have been worthwhile signings for one year. Their defense still leaves a little to be desired, though Alex Lyon and James Reimer have put in solid performances when called upon. Detroit is never truly out of a game, so there is no reason to let off the gas pedal. 

Last Season's Meetings- The Hurricanes won two of three meetings with Detroit, earning a split in the Motor City. Their first meeting was almost exactly a year ago in Detroit. Brady Skjei scored on the power play in the first period, and that's all the offense that was needed. Pyotr Kochetkov stopped all 27 shots thrown at him, earning his second straight shutout after doing the same three days earlier on Long Island. Their second meeting in late March was a lot more exciting. After Dominik Kubalik scored less than a minute into the game, Brett Burns and Jaccob Slavin scored early in the second to give the Canes the lead. Dylan Larkin got the equalizer on the power play a few minutes later, and the game remained 2-2 for the longest time. The game looked destined to be decided in overtime, but Jake Walman blasted a shot with less than five seconds left in regulation to help Detroit steal two points. The lone meeting in Raleigh came in each side's penultimate game. Stefan Noesen and Jordan Martinook scored in the first period. Robert Hagg would cut the Canes' lead in half, but Brent Burns would respond to restore the two-goal advantage. Jesperi Kotkaniemi would bury an empty netter to seal the deal as the Canes held strong on their way to a division crown. 

Stories/Keys of the Night

1. Finish the Trip Strong

It's no secret that this trip has not been ideal for the Hurricanes. Losing four straight games, regardless of the circumstance, is a tough pill to swallow. However, their performance in Ottawa on Tuesday night was encouraging, helping to end their losing streak. Now, they have a chance to finish this road trip with the same 2-4-0 they had during their first long road trip early in the season. It's funny that's the silver lining to the current situation. It'll be even more important to finish strong because they'll turn around and play again on Friday night against Nashville. It's going to take every bit of the 60 minutes to get the job done against an offensively-charged Red Wings team. 

2. Someone Else Has to Get Going

After going pointless to begin the trip, Sebastian Aho broke out for three points in the second period in Ottawa. During it, he helped to get Seth Jarvis back on the horse, and Teuvo Teravainen added an assist on the power play. Tonight is the night Jesperi Kotkaniemi finally has his big game on the trip. He's been quiet for the last several games, but that changes in Detroit. I'm hoping the magic I gave Aho will rub off on Kotkaniemi to get it done. He's not just had a rough road trip, either. He hasn't found the scoresheet in seven games since scoring in Philadelphia in late November, and he has just three goals in his last 16 games after an incendiary start. He's due for a big game. 

3. The Good, The Bad, and the Unfortunate in the Motor City

It has been an interesting few weeks for the Detroit Red Wings. Their play on the ice has been solid, but there have been some other circumstances that have taken over the news. For starters, the good news was signing Patrick Kane. He'd waited to sign a deal after surgery in the offseason and landed on Detroit as his next destination. The long-time Blackhawk was traded to the Rangers last season, making Detroit his third Original 6 team. He has two points in his first four games, including a goal over the weekend against Ottawa. Speaking of Ottawa, the bad news is the ongoing story surrounding David Perron. He was suspended for six games by the league for cross-checking Artem Zub in the head on Saturday. Perron has filed to appeal the suspension and has missed their last two games. The reason for the cross-check plays into the unfortunate news for Detroit. The incident came as a result of Dylan Larkin being hit and knocked unconscious during the Ottawa game. He was hit from both sides before falling motionless to the ice. He joined Klim Kostin and JT Compher on IR earlier in the week, taking three more weapons out of the lineup. Larkin's loss is especially big for this game because he always seems to terrorize the Hurricanes.