Tonight, the Hurricanes are in Detroit to take on the Red Wings in a game that could very well help the Canes push themselves out of sight in the hunt for the Metropolitan Division title. Currently 4 points above the Pittsburgh Penguins with three games in hand and 7 points ahead of the New York Rangers with a game in hand, this could start to confirm the crowning of this bunch of jerks.
However, that can wait. A difficult opponent awaits them in Detroit. This is a game they should win, but when the Canes are playing a team lower down the standings, you cannot take anything for granted. Detroit had the better of the exchanges when they were in the same division last season, and despite the Hurricanes beating them earlier this season icing the Chicago Wolves roster, it’s not a given.
In their last game, Detroit put up 7 goals on a team that is going to be in the playoffs in Toronto. The weird thing about that game was that they also gave up 10. I don’t think I need to explain because I think you can tell from that scoreline alone that Detroit is very good going one way and not so good going back into their own end. This could still very much be an interesting game.
We’re expected to see former Hurricanes goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic take to the ice for the Detroit Red Wings in this one. A lot of this team faced Nedeljkovic in practice every day last season and will recognize how to score on the Parma, Ohio native. This doesn’t mean it’s set in stone that the Hurricanes are going to drop 10 on Detroit like Toronto, but it does make an interesting game of cat and mouse between goaltender and shooter. A game within a game.
Detroit is 13 points back of the second wild-card spot with two games in hand and could really use the two points tonight if they want to see a game 83 this season. Carolina will be in Little Caesers Arena with ambitions of destroying those hopes. Yes, I did have to stop myself from calling it Joe Louis Arnea, because the iconic arena the Red Wings used to play in is gone now. But that doesn’t mean tonight won’t be a great game.