2024-25 Regular Season, Game 64 Preview: Hurricanes vs. Winnipeg Jets

For their final game before the trade deadline, the Carolina Hurricanes welcomed the injury-depleted Boston Bruins to town, beginning a four-game homestand. Sebastian Aho got the team going early, forcing a turnover and outwaiting Joonas Korpisalo to bury a backhand while short-handed to get the Canes going early. Late in the period, former Hurricane Morgan Geekie was in the right spot to snap a rebound past Pyotr Kochetkov to tie it up. Brent Burns restored the Canes' lead early in the second period, getting a favorable bounce of Parker Wotherspoon's stick to sneak a shot into the net. The Canes would lose their lead early in the third when Geekie put another rebound home, setting the stage for a tense final period. Taylor Hall had a goal wiped off the board after Jack Roslovic was offside, but they would catch a break in the final 20 seconds. Nikita Zadorov's stick exploded when he tried to send a pass up the ice. The puck sat alone in the slot for Seth Jarvis to snag and snap into the net, stealing the game with 18.6 seconds left. Kochetkov stopped 32 shots and was easily the team's best player in a game they probably didn't deserve to win.

The Opponent: Winnipeg Jets (44-16-4, 92 Points- 1st in the Central Division)

Last Meeting: It was just over a month ago when the Canes visited Winnipeg. By the time they left, the Canes were incredibly frustrated. This game was all about Eric Comrie. The Jets' power play struck in the first and the second period, courtesy of Nino Niederreiter and Neal Pionk, before adding a third goal late from Rasmus Kupari, but one would've sufficed with how well Comrie played. The Canes threw 29 shots at the Winnipeg netminder, but none of them beat him. Winnipeg won the game 3-0, though the Canes probably deserved a little better than what they got.

Since We Last Met: Their victory over the Canes was Winnipeg's seventh straight in what became an 11-game heater. During their win streak, the Jets averaged more than four goals a game, while allowing less than two. Once their streak ended, Winnipeg lost three straight while scoring just four total goals. They've returned to their winning ways recently, winning their last two games by a combined 10-2 over the Flyers and the Devils. Raleigh is the final stop of their four-game road trip. Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor continue to lead the league's second-best offense, while Connor Hellebuyck remains the Vezina favorite and the likely winner of the Jennings Trophy. The Jets didn't make many flashy moves at the deadline, adding Brandon Tanev and Luke Schenn as they seek toward the top seed in the Western Conference.

Stories of the Night

1. Stanky and Janky Are Hurricanes

The Canes made two deals on deadline day, bringing Logan Stankoven and Mark Jankowski to Raleigh for the stretch run. Both were present for practice on Saturday, so they'll be available for Sunday's contest. While I'm not sure whether Jankowski will be in the lineup, I expect Stankoven to be a prominent part of the team's plans. He was skating with Sebastian Aho and was on the top power-play unit at practice, signaling he'll be in a big role tonight. I look forward to seeing the new guys operate now and for the rest of this season.

2. The Jets' Power Play vs. The Canes' Penalty Kill

Outside of Eric Comrie's performance, the difference in Winnipeg's win in February was their ability to convert on the power play. More specifically, it was their second unit that scored two of the Jets' three goals. With the league's best power play set to meet the second-best penalty kill, that could be the most important battle of the night. Winnipeg has five power-play tallies in the last three games, while the Canes' penalty kill hasn't been as lethal lately, though they're perfect in the last two.