2023-24 Regular Season, Game 55: Hurricanes vs. Chicago Blackhawks (Pregame)

The Hurricanes are back at PNC Arena after winning two of their three games during their final long western road trip of the season. After losing in Dallas to start the trip, the Canes responded with a 5-1 win in Arizona on Friday night. Less than 24 hours later, they were in Vegas to battle the defending champions. Spencer Martin made his second start with the team after Pyotr Kochetkov beat the Coyotes. The Canes didn't look sharp in the first period, but Martin was there to bail them out on several occasions. The only blemish on his ledger was a goal midway through the first period after Jonathan Marchessault tapped home a rebound from the top of the crease. Andrei Svechnikov broke his short scoring drought early in the second period by whipping a backhander over the shoulder of Adin Hill, tying the game 81 seconds into the frame. He would be called for a brutal high-sticking penalty late in the period, but Seth Jarvis made Vegas pay 19 seconds into the third period by burying a short-handed breakaway to give the Canes their first lead. Stefan Noesen added the insurance marker six minutes later as the Canes shut down the Golden Knights in The Fortress 3-1. Martin made 29 saves in the win, and Jarvis finished the night with two points.

The Opponent: Chicago Blackhawks (15-37-3, 33 Points- 8th in the Central Division)

Last season marked the end of an era for the Chicago Blackhawks. As the team sat at the bottom of the division, they traded their franchise cornerstone, Patrick Kane, at the deadline, signaling a major rebuild for the organization. They finished with the third-worst record in the league but won the top pick in the draft lottery, much to the dismay of many hockey fans. This meant they won the right to pick Connor Bedard. The hype surrounding Bedard was years in the making, giving Chicago the most important piece in their efforts to rebuild. In the offseason, the team tried to put pieces in place to support their rookie sensation, bringing in a pair of former Hart winners, Taylor Hall and Corey Perry, along with Nick Foligno. As expected, the Blackhawks haven't been very good. They have the fewest points in the league, score the fewest goals per game, and own the worst power play in the league. 

Their health, or lack thereof, has helped that a little. Taylor Hall is done for the season. Andreas Athanasiou has been out with a groin injury. Nikita Zaitsev, Anthony Beauvillier, and Connor Murphy have missed some time. Even Bedard was out for over a month with a broken jaw. He has since returned, scoring a goal and an assist in their win over Ottawa on Saturday. Goaltending has been a major issue, too. Former Hurricanes Petr Mrazek is doing all he can, sporting a .911 save percentage, but Arvid Soderblom boasts a GAA of 4.01. No one expected Chicago to be fixed overnight, but I don't think anyone expected them to be this dreadful, either. Since winning back-to-back games in early December, Chicago is just 6-21-2 with a -51 goal differential. Their win over Ottawa snapped an eight-game losing streak. 

Last Season's Meetings- The Canes swept Chicago without ever allowing a goal. They met in Chicago in November, where Pyotr Kochetkov made 27 stops to record the first shutout of his NHL career. Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal each scored in the first period, and Andrei Svechnikov added some insurance in the second period of a 3-0 win for the Canes on the road. Chicago visited Raleigh right after Christmas, and it was a lot of the same. This time, Antti Raanta was the brick wall, stopping 24 shots to pick up the shutout. Martin Necas and Jesper Fast got the Canes out to an early 2-0 lead, and Martinook scored his second of the season against the Blackhawks to put the game away in the third in another 3-0 win. Petr Mrazek started both games for Chicago, stopping 75 of 81 shots. Staal, Martinook, and Brent Burns combined for three points each in the two wins. 

Stories/Keys of the Game

1. Vegas Win Should Be a Confidence Booster

Saturday's win over the Golden Knights was a gutsy effort for a team playing the second half of a back-to-back. In two games, they managed to sweep the season series with Vegas, outscoring them 9-4. Along with it being a big team win, there were some great individual efforts from guys who haven't been playing their best lately. Jesperi Kotkaniemi found the scoresheet finally, assisting on the insuance goal from Noesen. While it has been two months since he's scored a goal, it's good to see him contributing. Andrei Svechnikov got one after a fairly quiet return to the lineup. Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce were much better, too, picking up assists in the win. Maybe these guys can help the others in the lineup looking to make an impact.

2. Don't Play Down to Your Opponent

We've seen plenty of times in recent memory when the Hurricanes haven't played to their high standards against teams not even remotely close to the playoff hunt. I called the Arizona game a "trap game," but this one fits that definition perfectly. Chicago isn't very good, and the numbers more than support that statement. However, the Canes are coming off a long road trip and playing their third game in four days. They also have two great teams, Florida and Dallas, coming to town in the back half of the week. Chicago might only have 15 wins, but they include a pair of wins over Toronto and single wins over Florida, Vegas, Tampa Bay, Winnipeg, and Colorado. Petr Mrazek has also been very good despite his record. Assuming he gets the start, the Canes shouldn't dare take this Blackhawks team lightly. 

3. Welcome to Raleigh, Connor Bedard

For the first time in his career, Connor Bedard will be at PNC Arena. After being one of the most hyped prospects in history, Bedard has been almost as good as advertised during his rookie campaign. While he did miss a month with an injury, Bedard still leads all rookies in goals (16) and points (36) and is considered the frontrunner for the Calder. He also leads his team in points while sitting one behind Jason Dickinson in goals. He's incredibly explosive and has already scored a lacrosse goal. If he had a better supporting cast around him, Bedard's numbers might be even better. He's only going to get better the more he plays. I would expect the Staal line will be all over him in this one. I'm sure his name will be mentioned a million times during the broadcast, but he is worth the price of admission.