2024-25 Regular Season, Game 54 Preview: Hurricanes at Winnipeg Jets

The Carolina Hurricanes dropped a tight decision to the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night, having their seven-game point streak snapped in a 4-2 loss. The Canes scored first, getting a perfect deflection from Jesperi Kotkaniemi after Sean Walker ripped one from the point. The Kings responded late in the period, taking advantage of a turnover by Dmitry Orlov as he was hooked to the ice. Philip Danault scooped up the puck and snapped it over Frederik Andersen's blocker to draw even. The Kings won the game in the second period. Trevor Moore and Kevin Fiala scored hard-working goals to put the Kings up 3-1 after 40 minutes. Eric Robinson cut into Los Angeles' lead by scoring a breakaway goal early in the third, earning Brent Burns his 900th NHL point in the process. However, Fiala scored his second of the night to restore Los Angeles' two-goal lead and snap their four-game losing streak behind a great 

The Opponent: Winnipeg Jets (37-14-3, 77 Points- 1st in the Central Division)
Since the start of the season, the Winnipeg Jets have been the best team in the NHL. They remain such entering play tonight, leading the Western Conference by eight points and pacing the President's Trophy race by two points over Washington. They have the best offense in the league. They average the most goals per game and own the league's best power play, converting on 1/3 of their chances. Winnipeg sports a pair of 30-goal scorers in Mark Scheifele (31) and Kyle Connor (30), putting both in the Top 5 in the league. The Jets also allowed the fewest goals per game, led by Vezina frontrunner Connor Hellebuyck. The reigning Vezina winner leads the league in games (42), wins (33), GAA (2.04), and shutouts (6). Everyone is pulling their weight for the Jets this season. Gabriel Vilardi has broken out, scoring 22 goals and 49 points. Neal Pionk and Josh Morrissey are doing it all on the back end. Nikolaj Ehlers is playing over a point per game. They are a wagon at home, going 20-5-3 which ties them with the Canes and the Stars for the most home wins.

Last Season's Meetings: Winnipeg won both meetings last season in a pair of tight contests. The Canes visited the Jets in early December to begin a four-game Canadian road trip. Kyle Connor scored in the first period and Nikolaj Ehlers added to the lead midway through the second. Martin Necas got the Canes on the board in the final minute of the period, but that's all they would muster. Laurent Brossoit made 42 stops to preserve Winnipeg's 2-1 win. The Jets came to Raleigh in early March and the Canes took control in the second period. Necas, Teuvo Teravainen, and Sebastian Aho had the Canes in front 3-0 heading into the third, but Winnipeg responded with three of their own to tie it 5:40 into the frame. Sean Monahan scored the go-ahead goal with 3:13 after Pyotr Kochetkov left his net to play the puck and Nino Niederreiter scored his second of the game into the empty net to seal a 5-3 road win for the Jets.

Stories of the Night
1. Scott Morrow Joins the Group
Amidst the ongoing flu epidemic in the Canes' locker room, the team decided to invite Scott Morrow along for the trip, providing the team with another defensive option. While it's unclear whether Morrow is expected to see any action during the two road games, it'll be good for him to be around the group after playing two games last season. If Rod Brind'Amour can help it, I don't imagine the defensive pairs will change tonight for Thursday, but it's a good experience for a young player who has earned a call-up after his hot start in Chicago.

2. The Final Stretch Before the Break
This is the final week of action before the league pauses for two weeks for the 4 Nations Face-Off, where the US, Canada, Sweden, and Finland will compete for international supremacy on the ice. This means the group needs to empty the tank over the final three games. They are facing a pair of tough tests in Winnipeg and Minnesota before searching for revenge against Utah on Saturday afternoon. There's no reason the Canes can't win two of three to try and shrink the gap between themselves and the Capitals. They ought not to leave a stone unturned this week. 

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