2023-24 Regular Season, Game 44: Hurricanes vs. Detroit Red Wings (Pregame)

The Hurricanes saw their point streak come to an end on Monday afternoon against the Los Angeles Kings as the organization welcomed Justin Williams into the Hurricanes Hall of Fame. The Kings drew first blood in the first period as Trevor Moore knocked home a rebound early. The response from the Canes didn't come until the second period when Jordan Martinook scored for the third straight game, burying a 2-on-1 with Seth Jarvis. The difference in the game was the start of the third period. Los Angeles scored three times in under 5:30 as Phillip Danault, Alex Laferriere, and Pierre-Luc Dubois all beat Antti Raanta to chase him from the game. This allowed Yaniv Perets to make his first NHL appearance. The Canes got one back when Jack Drury finished a beautiful pass from Stefan Noesen, and Perets recorded his first save a little later, but Moore scored his second of the game into the empty net as the Kings snapped their winless drought with a 5-2 win in Raleigh. 

The Opponent: Detroit Red Wings (23-16-5, 51 Points- 4th in the Atlantic Division)

Last Meeting- Pyotr Kochetkov and Ville Husso were locked in a goalie duel when the two sides met in Detroit in mid-December. Jack Drury got the scoring started early in the first period. Michael Rasmussen knotted the game with a snipe from the right dot early in the second period. The difference in the game was how each goalie handled displaying the puck. Kochetkov gave the puck away to Patrick Kane, but he was able to recover and stop the shot. On the other end, Husso was unable to play a puck cleanly, allowing Jordan Staal to swoop in and knock it home to restore the Canes' one-goal lead. From there, neither goalie gave an inch. Husso finished the game with 37 stops, but the Canes came away with the 2-1 win. 

Since We Last Met- The loss to the Canes was the first of a four-game losing streak and a 2-7-0 stretch for the Red Wings. Since then, the Red Wings have been one of the hottest teams in the league. They've earned points in their last seven games, including wins in their last three. All-Star Alex DeBrincat leads the team with 40 points, while Dylan Larkin's 18 goals pace the Wings. He scored the game-winner in overtime on Wednesday night to help Detroit take down the Panthers 3-2 to extend their win streak. Their recent hot streak has helped them vault back into the Top 4 of the division. Detroit remains lethal offensively, ranking fourth in goals per game, but their defense is allowing the ninth-most goals per game. Alex Lyon has been phenomenal while healthy, with a .923 save percentage and a 2.54 GAA. Otherwise, their remaining goalies have faced their share of struggles.

Stories/Keys of the Game

1. Necas Likely to Return From Injury

Martin Necas has been a full participant in practice for the last few days, making it appear that he'll be good to go after missing the last five games. His upper-body injury was sustained during practice in a collision with Dmitry Orlov. Necas hasn't been going at the same pace he was last season, and he hasn't been producing much of late, with just three points in his last eight games. Still, he's an important part of this team, providing speed and skill that few on the roster have. His return to the lineup, regardless of whether it's tonight or not, will be welcomed. 

2. Flush the LA Loss and Start Over

While this applies to the entire team, this is especially true for Antti Raanta. The Canes were abysmal to start the third period, leaving Raanta out to dry when the Kings scored three goals. It resulted in him being pulled for Yaniv Perets, but I can't put Raanta at fault for any of the goals. The Canes' top six didn't generate much offense, leaving the Bottom 6 to carry the load. The loss was just their second in regulation over the last 16 games, so it's not time for the team to panic, but they need to start writing a new chapter before the All-Star Break. 

3. Detroit Finishes Their Trip Without Kane

After leaving their win in Toronto early with an injury, the team announced that Patrick Kane wouldn't play in their final two games during this short road trip. This leaves a big hole for the team to fill offensively. It didn't seem to faze them much in their win in Florida, but the Canes made life tough for Detroit during their first meeting. They still have plenty of weapons in Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin, but Kane was brought in to be that extra spark. He has been that since joining the team, scoring 16 points in 19 games.