2023-24 Regular Season, Game 46: Hurricanes at Boston Bruins (Pregame)

The Hurricanes closed their six-game homestand on a low note as the Minnesota Wild took them down 5-2. Martin Necas opened the scoring with some help from the entire line, scoring in his second straight game after returning from injury. Kirill Kaprizov responded late in the first period with a beautiful deflection to beat Antti Raanta. Kaprizov gave the Wild the lead early in the second period with a spinning shot through a screen. The Wild's 2-1 lead remained into the third period until Michael Bunting snapped a shot past Filip Gustavsson from the left dot. The tie didn't last long as Joel Eriksson Ek outworked the entire Canes' defense to put home a rebound that squeaked through Raanta. Kaprizov completed his hat trick into the empty net, and Jacob Middleton added a fifth goal to put the Canes away for good. Despite the loss, the Canes finished their homestand at 3-2-1. 

The Opponent: Boston Bruins (29-8-9, 67 Points- 1st in the Atlantic Division)

When Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci decided to retire, there was hope that Boston would finally fall off. They were the best regular-season team in NHL history last season but were unceremoniously eliminated in the 1st Round by the Florida Panthers. They signed a lot of role players during the offseason, and they've picked up right where they left off. While they won't replicate their numbers from last season, the Bruins remain the standard in the Atlantic Division. David Pastrnak is leading the charge, sitting fourth in the league in goals (30) and third in points (67). Boston's captain, Brad Marchand, has 21 goals and 44 points. Their goalie duo has been excellent, with Jeremy Swayman looking like a frontrunner for the Vezina while playing alongside last season's Vezina winner Linus Ullmark. They're one of the most well-rounded teams in the league and look to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. 

Last Season's Meetings- Boston won two of the three meetings last season, but the Canes earned points in all three games, losing twice beyond regulation. They first met after Thanksgiving in Boston, and the Canes jumped out to an early lead. Stefan Noesen and Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored on the power play, but David Krejci scored in the second and third periods to send the game to overtime. In overtime, the Canes took a too-many-men penalty, allowing David Pastrnak to bury the game-winner. The next two meetings were in Raleigh, the first occurring in late January. The Canes dominated the game, scoring in all three periods to take a 3-0 lead. Taylor Hall got the Bruins on the board to break the shutout, but a Jordan Staal empty-netter put the game away for a 4-1 Carolina win. In late March, the Bruins flipped the script. Pastrnak scored twice to help the Bruins get out to a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes. The Canes tied the game in the first four minutes, with Brady Skjei and Sebastian Aho knotting the game 3-3. No one scored in overtime, but Boston scored twice in the shootout to take the two points. 

Stories/Keys of the Game

1. On the Road Again

It has been nearly three weeks since the Hurricanes played a road game, beating Washington 6-2 on January 5. After a very tough start to the season on the road, the Canes have won their last four road games, picking up points in seven straight. Their last road trip featured wins in Toronto, New York, and D.C. While this will just be a one-off, it's a big deal. It's the last road game before the All-Star Break and the first of three meetings against the Bruins. They'll have to do it without Andrei Svechnikov, who will be missing his second straight contest with an injury.

2. Spencer Martin Could Be Making His Hurricanes Debut

While I'm not 100% sure whether Spencer Martin will be getting the start tonight or during tomorrow's game against New Jersey, I think tonight might be the night. Martin, who the Canes claimed off waivers last week, doesn't have the best numbers this season, but there's hope he'll be able to turn it around. There are a lot of Caniacs anticipating his debut for both good and bad reasons. On the one hand, people want to see him succeed, while others are ready to point and say, "I told you so," if he fails. I'm optimistic this will go well, whether he starts in Boston or against the Devils. 

3. The Bruins Refuse to Slow Down

The Bruins continue to own a hold over the Atlantic Division, but their recent stretch has been unbelievable. Since Christma, the Bruins are 10-1-3 and are riding a nine-game point streak (6-0-3). They're averaging the most goals per game during that span, scoring nearly 4.50 goals per contest. David Pastrnak has been one of the most efficient scorers during that time, while Charlie Coyle and Brad Marchand rank in the Top 15 in points. Linus Ullmark has won all four starts, while Jeremy Swayman has been nearly impossible to beat. I had Boston hovering in the Wild Card picture during the preseason. They've clearly proven me wrong. This is going to be a massive undertaking for the Hurricanes, especially in Beantown.