Hurricanes host Red Wings in an eventful night

Tonight, the Detroit Red Wings come to town as they tale on the Carolina Hurricanes. It’s an eventful night in the hockey landscape and the Canes need two points to keep pace at the top of the division following the Rangers demolition job last night on the Philadelphia Flyers. With the Hurricanes taking on an opponent that has long been out of the playoff race, they need the two points in this one.

One story I am trying to talk into existence tonight is the story is the trade triangle involving these two teams. When the Canes traded Alex Nedeljkovic to the Red Wings, they got back a third-round pick. They traded the player they used that third-round pick on at this deadline to acquire Max Domi. I need Max Domi to score his first as a Cane tonight. That would just be poetic.

We know that it will not be Carolina’s Vezina candidate tonight as Antti Raanta will get the nod for the Hurricanes. He was supposed to play against Anaheim last week, but fell sick slightly before the game and wasn’t 100%. There’s no need to risk anyone at this point of the season he was rested and he gets to go tonight instead for the Hurricanes. But he is not the only Finnish player to come back into the lineup tonight.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi will return from a short absence on the sideline with an injury sustained late in the hammering of the Washington Capitals. He will be returning to the Canes lineup as he is healthy after his eight-game absence. He’s going right back to his position centering the fourth line because this team desperately missed him when he wasn’t available. Here’s to hoping he can aid the team to a win on his return to the NHL ice.