2023-24 Regular Season, Game 56: Hurricanes vs. Florida Panthers (Pregame)

Thursday night in Raleigh is going to be a big one for the Hurricanes. Two teams carrying winning streaks will enter, but only one streak will remain intact. The Canes have won their last three contests since dropping a decision to Dallas to begin their most recent road trip. After back-to-back wins in Arizona and Vegas, the Canes returned home for a meeting Monday night with the Chicago Blackhawks. As you'd expect from a game featuring teams on opposite trajectories, the Canes dominated. Michael Bunting scored the lone goal of the first period, but the game was opened up in the second. Martin Necas, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Sebastian Aho scored in the first 11 minutes to take a 4-0 lead. Chicago got on the board late in the period as Nick Foligno's backhander surprised Spencer Martin. Brent Burns got it back on the power play early in the third period. Chicago got two of their own on the power play, including one from Connor Bedard, but Jordan Martinook's empty-netter sealed the deal as the Canes earned a 6-3 win.

The Opponent: Florida Panthers (37-15-4, 78 Points- 2nd in the Atlantic Division)

Last Meeting- In their first battle since the Panthers swept the Canes in the Eastern Conference Finals, Florida picked up right where they left off in mid-November. Jesperi Kotkaniemi opened the scoring 80 seconds into the contest, but Matthew Tkachuk had the answer less than two minutes later. Uvis Balinskis would break the tie with 1:07 left in the period, scoring the first goal of his career. Aleksander Barkov extended the lead in the second before Sebastian Aho got one back before the end of the period. That's as close as the Canes would get, surrendering a goal to Carter Verhaeghe and an empty-netter to Kevin Stenlund as the Panthers won 5-2. 

Since We Last Met- The Panthers are a relentless group. They just don't lose. Since losing four straight in mid-January, Florida has won ten of their last 11 games, including each of their last six. They don't score at the same level as many teams, relying on a handful of guys to put the puck in the back of the net. Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, and Matthew Tkachuk are the only players with 15+ goals, but the first two have scored 39 and 30 goals, respectively. Tkachuk also leads the team with 45 assists, while Aleksander Barkov has 42. They're just outside of the Top 10 in goals per game, but their defense is allowing the second-fewest per game. I don't think Sergei Bobrovsky is getting the respect he deserves for his performance this season. He's second in wins (28), in the Top 5 in GAA (2.39), and in the Top 10 in save percentage (.915). His backup, Anthony Stolarz, isn't bad either, sporting a .926 save percentage and a 1.97 GAA. He put in a 45-save shutout in his start last Thursday against Buffalo. The Panthers needed overtime to extend their win streak on Tuesday, beating Ottawa 3-2 at home on a game-winner from Anton Lundell. 

Stories/Keys to the Game

1. Don't Let Florida Bully You

Few teams in the league will get under your skin more than the Florida Panthers. I don't consider the Canes to be the grittiest team, which can get them into trouble against teams like Florida. The Canes have guys who will step in when needed, but not nearly at the same level as the Panthers. Florida has been called for the second-most minor penalties in the league but has also drawn the most. Guys like Matthew Tkachuk, Nick Cousins, and Ryan Lomberg will lead that charge. I'm not saying the Canes need to play like goons and seek out trouble, but don't get pushed around, either. 

2. This Carolina Team Is Different Than November's Team

There's a part of me that is hoping that November's one-sided loss was the result of a team trying to find their game after an incredibly slow start. While Florida has been phenomenal since the first meeting, so have the Hurricanes. They are 25-11-5 since that loss, which is the fourth-best point percentage in the league. Only Vancouver, Florida, and Winnipeg are better. Their defense has been the biggest change since then. They're allowing 2.50 goals per game and own the second-best penalty kill over their last 41 games. In theory, the change in venue could be helpful, but Florida is the best road team in the league, winning 20 of their 29 road games. 

3. The Pressure is on Florida, Not Carolina

The big reason Florida is the best road team in the league is the 11-game road win streak they enter tonight with. A win tonight would help tie them for the longest such streak in NHL history, matching the 2005-06 Red Wings and the 2014-15 Wild. While anyone on or around the team would likely say this is another game, streaks like this add pressure to a team. It also doesn't help that they're going back and forth with the Bruins for first place in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. The Canes have won three straight, but it's nothing compared to 11 in a row. There is an expectation for the Panthers to win this game. They have a chance to tie history. It's a pretty big deal, considering it's only February.