2023-24 Regular Season, Game 74: Hurricanes vs. Detroit Red Wings (Pregame)

The Hurricanes traveled to Pittsburgh on Tuesday night for Jake Guentzel's return but came home with a sour taste in their mouth after being out-goalied by a familiar face. The Penguins struck first in the second period as former Hurricane Jesse Puljujarvi snapped one past Pyotr Kochetkov early in the middle frame. Dmitry Orlov responded with the Canes' lone tally of the night. The real turning point was late in the second period when Bryan Rust's shot hit off Brett Pesce's skate and deflected over Kochetkov's shoulder to give the Penguins a late lead. The Canes were the better team in the final 40 minutes, but they couldn't solve Alex Nedeljkovic. Despite the massive edge in shots, Nedeljkovic kept the Canes in check, making 38 stops. Drew O'Connor and Sidney Crosby scored into the empty net, giving Pittsburgh a 4-1 win, snapping the Canes' road point streak and overall point streak.

The Opponent: Detroit Red Wings (36-29-7, 79 Points- 5th in the Atlantic Division)

Last Meeting- The Red Wings were in Raleigh a little over two months ago, battling the Hurricanes on January 19. Klim Kostin opened the scoring early in the first period, but Jordan Martinook was there to tie it up less than a minute later. In the second period, Martin Necas, who was making his return to the lineup after missing two weeks, snapped one past Alex Lyon with 3:35 left to take their first lead. JT Compher would get one in the final minute on the power play to send it into the third period tied at two. The Canes' power play would come through for them in the third. Andrei Svechnikov helped the Canes retake the lead just past the halfway point, and they'd hold on from there. Sebastian Aho deposited the empty-net goal to help the Canes earn a 4-2 victory. Antti Raanta only faced 12 shots in the win, while Necas, Aho, and Michael Bunting finished with multi-point nights.

Since We Last Met- For a while, it looked like the Detroit Red Wings were in a great spot. They'd held on to a Wild Card spot for about two months, but things are looking a lot sketchier now. They've fallen out of the second Wild Card spot, sitting two points behind the Capitals, who they lost to in overtime on Tuesday. A lot of their struggles stem from a seven-game losing streak they underwent in late February and into March. Things were very volatile for the group, leading to a well-publicized scuffle during practice between Ben Chiarot and Lucas Raymond. Once their streak ended, Detroit won three of their next four but have lost two straight, including Tuesday's OT loss. Since the fight during practice, Raymond has been solid. He lost a six-game point streak last weekend, in which he scored seven goals and nine points. He has taken the team lead in points (60) and is tied with Alex DeBrincat for the second-most goals (24). Dylan Larkin's 28 goals continue to pace the Red Wings, and Patrick Kane is still playing at a point-per-game pace. Raleigh is the third stop of a five-game road trip, with games in Sunrise and Tampa to come. 

Stories/Keys of the Game

1. Match Detroit's Desperation

Tuesday's loss in Pittsburgh was a feeling we hadn't felt in a while. It was exactly the type of game that we'd seen them lose in the past after dominating their opponent, only to be goalie'd. It was a far cry from their efforts against the Islanders and Flyers, a pair of teams that are desperately trying to find points to either better or improve their positioning in the playoffs. That's the same boat the Red Wings are in right now. The Canes stepped up in those two games and in the Washington game to an extent. There is still plenty for the Hurricanes to fight for, so this shouldn't be looked at as anything other than an important game. They haven't ensured their spot in the postseason but can do so tonight. Until that job is done, there is no reason to be satisfied.

2. Get Svechnikov Going

My biggest takeaway from Tuesday night was the current state of Andrei Svechnikov. The puck isn't going into the net, and it's clear he's growing more frustrated with each passing game. His retaliatory penalty against Michael Bunting is a perfect indication of that, as were the two penalties he took against the Maple Leafs. The goals are going to return. He went through something similar earlier in the season once he returned from his surgery. The difference is that he was at least setting up his teammates, which is something missing during this recent lull. I'm not sure if the answer is to find him a new center to play next to or to let him ride it out. The Canes only have one line that is going at 100 percent right now. They can't carry the load by themselves. It's time for Svechnikov to put on his hard hat and play his best game of the season.

3. It's Go Time for Detroit

While the Hurricanes were busy in Pittsburgh, the Red Wings were squandering a perfect opportunity to gain some ground on the Washington Capitals. They didn't play with the lead for long and spent most of the third period trying to play catch up, eventually forcing overtime on a late Patrick Kane goal. While it wouldn't allow them to jump the Capitals, a win would've put them in a tie, though Washington owns a game in hand. Instead, they lost, making their journey to get back into the playoffs that much tougher. Raleigh isn't a fun place to play, so this is going to be a battle for Detroit, but they have the firepower to get the job done. Their goalies also can steal one if need be. The road ahead isn't going to get any easier, with the Panthers, Lightning, and Rangers next on the schedule. It feels like the bell is softly starting to sound on Detroit's playoff hopes.