Cardiac Cane
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Carolina Hurricanes: Keys to Keep Rolling vs. Chicago

By Matthew Nidiffer

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 30: Cedric Paquette #18 of the Carolina Hurricanes tosses Adam Boqvist #27 of the Chicago Blackhawks to the ice at the United Center on March 30, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 30: Cedric Paquette #18 of the Carolina Hurricanes tosses Adam Boqvist #27 of the Chicago Blackhawks to the ice at the United Center on March 30, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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May 1, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) looks up against the Columbus Blue Jackets at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
May 1, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (39) looks up against the Columbus Blue Jackets at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Goaltending Problems Gone

Alex Nedeljkovic has singlehandedly saved the Carolina Hurricanes’ seemingly endless goaltending blight.

Petr Mrazek has been good in his tenure here, and this season specifically has shown that Mrazek does, indeed, have what it takes to be a full-fledged starting goaltender in the NHL.

Ned, though, has been on a whole other level the likes of which we haven’t seen since (dare I say) Cam Ward.

The Carolina Hurricanes had quite the predicament headed their way in the coming weeks, most of which I’d talked about previously in this article. Now that Ned has proven himself a legitimate elite-level goaltender thus far, and the Canes managed to sign both Eetu Makiniemi and Pyotr Kochetkov to entry-level contracts to boot, that predicament is much further down the line, if it even exists anymore to begin with.

Regardless of personal opinion, though, Nedeljkovic has been positively sparkling this season, and I’m sure that form will continue tonight as the Canes look to eliminate the Chicago Blackhawks from playoff contention.

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