2024-25 Regular Season, Game 56 Preview: Hurricanes vs Utah Hockey Club

The Carolina Hurricanes are in a serious rut. They've lost three straight games, and the offense has gone dry, scoring just three total goals over the last 180 minutes. They fell 2-1 to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night despite putting 38 shots on Filip Gustavsson. The Canes played from behind early after Marat Khusnutdinov set up Yakov Trenin in transition less than three minutes into the game. The 1-0 score remained until early in the third period. In the first minute, Vinnie Hinostroza redirected a shot off the post that Frederik Andersen inadvertently knocked into the net as he tried to jump on it. The Canes wouldn't break Gustavsson's shutout bid until the final few minutes. With Andersen on the bench, Seth Jarvis made a great pass from below the goal line to Sebastian Aho, who spun and fired from the slot to get the Canes on the board. They pushed for the tying goal, but it never came. Minnesota held on for the 2-1 win, dealing the Canes a third consecutive defeat. 

The Opponent: Utah Hockey Club (23-22-9, 55 Points- 5th in the Central Division)

Last Meeting: The Canes have goalied a few times this season, but no goalie-ing was worse than Karel Vejmelka's performance when the Canes visited Utah for the first time in November. Vejmelka put up 49 stops in a 4-1 win for the Hockey Club. It was 1-1 through 40 minutes, with Nick Bjugstad and Martin Necas trading goals. In the third period, Utah scored three times in just over two minutes to take the lead. Pyotr Kochetkov was yanked after the goal making it 3-1 due to discomfort during one of the earlier goals. The Canes were awarded a seven-minute power play while down three goals but couldn't generate enough to beat Vejmelka. It was easily the most frustrating game of the season, to that point, ending the first trip to Salt Lake City on a sour note.

Since We Last Met: In their inaugural season, the Utah Hockey Club remain in the thick of playoff contention while sitting around .500. Raleigh is the second stop of a three-game trip before their break and the first half of a back-to-back that will take them to D.C. on Sunday. They've played a lot of hockey recently, reaching overtime in four of their last five games, including back-to-back wins against Philadelphia and Columbus. Utah has been very streaky. Before winning their last two games, they'd lost five in a row. Streaks like this have been prevalent all year. Clayton Keller continues to pace the squad with 39 assists and 57 points, while Dylan Guenther's 19 goals top Utah. Karel Vejmelka has been very good as his name floats around trade rumors a month before the deadline. He has a losing record (12-14-4), but his save percentage sits at .910 and his GAA is 2.46. With another game after Saturday, it'll be interesting to see how Utah handles this one.

Stories of the Night

1. Salvage What You Can Before the Break

This week has not been kind to the Carolina Hurricanes. They've dropped both games, extending their losing streak to three games. With 60 minutes separating most of the team from a break, unload the tank and find a way to get the job done. They need this win badly. The margin for error in the division is razor thin, so a win could be a great confidence booster heading into the stretch run. I expect to see a focused group on the ice on Saturday afternoon.

2. Keep It Simple

I'm not suggesting they take it back to their pond or ODR days, but sometimes the simplest decision is the right one. It's okay to be a little selfish when your team is in a rut. Don't pass up the good shooting opportunities. Really, don't pass up any shooting opportunities. The same goes for the power play. Utah is one of the most penalized teams in the league, so the power play should get a few chances on Saturday. Feed off the electricity of the home crowd and find a way to power one or two home with the man advantage. It's easier said than done, especially from behind a computer screen. I have no doubt the group will give it their all.