2024-25 Regular Season, Game 75 Preview: Hurricanes at Detroit Red Wings

The Carolina Hurricanes punched their ticket to the postseason on Wednesday night while punching a hole in the Washington Capitals. Sean Walker got it going early, capitalizing on a Washington turnover before snapping a shot over Logan Thompson's blocker. The Canes' power play struck twice in the opening frame. Jackson Blake jumped on a rebound, and Seth Jarvis clapped one from the dot to extend the lead to three after a nearly flawless opening 20 minutes. Logan Stankoven made it 4-0 before Washington got on the board during a 5-on-3. Alex Ovechkin scored from his spot, moving two goals away from tying the all-time goals record. Blake scored his second goal of the night on the power play early in the third period to restore the four-goal lead. Things got very chippy at the end of the game, with 114 penalty minutes leveled to each side in the final seven minutes. The Canes won 5-1, earning two big points as they cement their spot in the playoffs. 

The Opponent: Detroit Red Wings (34-33-7, 75 Points- 6th in the Atlantic Division)
Last Meeting: The Red Wings visited Raleigh on March 14th, facing the Canes for the second time in ten days. Alex DeBrincat kicked off the scoring late in the first period, snapping a perfect shot past Frederik Andersen. The Canes' offense came to life in the second period. Taylor Hall leveled the score 22 seconds into the period before Jack Roslovic gave the Canes the lead a little over five minutes later. Jalen Chatfield finished the stellar middle frame with the team's third goal, staking the Canes to a two-goal lead after 40. Michael Rasmussen brought the Red Wings back within a goal early in the third, but Eric Robinson put it away late into the empty net to secure a 4-2 victory for Carolina. 

Since We Last Met: While still in the hunt for a Wild Card spot, the Red Wings have started to fall behind the rest of the pack. They're four points out, needing to jump three teams to claim the eighth spot. They're 3-4-1 since their visit to Raleigh, losing 2-1 in overtime to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. Cam Talbot was excellent in the loss, stopping 35 shots but getting no help from his offense. The Wings' chances are looking slim, especially when looking at their remaining schedule. After tonight, Detroit still plays Florida twice, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Dallas, New Jersey, and Montreal, all of whom are in a playoff spot. If I hadn't seen last year's push, I would've completely counted them out, but I'm not. The hottest player during that push was Lucas Raymond, who still leads the team with 73 points. Alex DeBrincat is a 30-goal scorer once again. Dylan Larkin has a flair for clutch moments, as does Patrick Kane. They'll need something magical if they hope to fly past the teams in their way.

Stories of the Night
1. There's Still Plenty to Play For...
With the first big hurdle cleared, the Hurricanes must now turn their attention to the next hurdle. While their spot in the playoffs is guaranteed, home ice in the first round is not, but it's theirs to control. They own a sizeable lead over the Devils for the second spot, sitting nine points ahead of New Jersey with two games in hand. All it would take is two wins, or a win and a New Jersey loss on Saturday. Until this is wrapped up, the Canes should continue to push forward at full speed, especially since Detroit has plenty left to play for.

2. ...But Don't Overdo It
There's no reason to take their foot off the gas, but don't play recklessly either. The final seven minutes against Washington were an anomaly. I don't expect the same chippiness from Detroit since they aren't in the same division. Jordan Staal is battling something, and Andrei Svechnikov didn't play in the third period after coming back from an injury last week. Now is not the time to play with reckless abandon and get hurt before the playoffs. Play hard, but don't be stupid.

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