There are four big points on the line for the Carolina Hurricanes this weekend as the push for the postseason continues. The Canes saw their three-game winning streak come to an end in Montreal on Tuesday night. The group jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on goals by Nikolaj Ehlers and Jordan Staal, but the Habs scored five unanswered goals to earn the 5-2 victory.
It's a big weekend all around the Metro. Along with the Canes hosting Montreal tomorrow night, the three teams chasing them in the division are also in action. Pittsburgh hosts the Stars tonight. The Islanders welcome the Panthers for a Saturday matinee. The Blue Jackets, like the Canes, have a back-to-back at home, facing San Jose and Boston.
On the Other Side: New Jersey Devils
Last meeting: On the heels of their offensive explosion against the Panthers the night before, the Canes kept their momentum going in Newark. Andrei Svechnikov recorded another hat trick against the Devils, echoing his performance during Game 4 of last season's postseason encounter, and Frederik Andersen was lights out, leading the Canes to a 4-1 victory on the road.
We're reaching the latter stages of a pretty disappointing season for the Devils, but there is still plenty for them to play for and be proud of. You wouldn't know this team is missing the playoffs when looking at their recent play. New Jersey has won nine of its last 12 contests, including three of the four stops on their road trip, which ends tonight in Raleigh.
The goaltending and defensive game have been much improved of late for the Devils. Jacob Markstrom is 7-3-0 over his last ten games. Jake Allen is 2-2-0 since the break, but both losses were 2-1 defeats. The offense still isn't connecting as much as it could, sitting 27th in goals, though there is a ton of power to try and stop.
Until the bitter end, injuries remain a big part of their season. The Devils will be without two former Hurricanes for this evening's contest due to season-ending ailments. Brett Pesce has been in and out of the lineup all season, with injuries limiting him to 37 games. Stefan Noesen hasn't played since early January and recently had knee surgery, which knocks him out, too.
Devils to Watch
Jack Hughes: This is the first time we're seeing Hughes since he scored the Golden Goal in Milan. Naturally, he has been pretty good since returning from the Winter Olympics. Hughes rides into Raleigh on a seven-game point streak (14 points), and he has only been held scoreless twice in 14 games since the pause. He's only point back of the team lead, despite playing 20 fewer games.
Connor Brown: While it's the end of the season, and the Devils are out of the playoff picture, it doesn't mean they stop playing. Brown has been excellent in March. He has 13 points this month, eight of which have come in his last six games. The veteran has looked sharp, moving him into a tie for the fourth-most points on the Devils this season.
Hurricanes to Watch
Logan Stankoven: Heading down the back stretch of the regular season, I would like to see Stankoven really stand out. The Canes weren't able to upgrade at the center position at the trade deadline, so he's their guy. Stankoven hasn't found much consistency in his scoring throughout the season, but he's a goal away from topping his mark from a year ago.
Shayne Gostisbehere: With his return to practice on Friday, all signs point to Gostisbehere being available for this game. The head coach said during his conversation with the media that he was hopeful he'd be good to go, which feels like a good sign. It should be a boost for the top power play, which has already been looking good with Nikishin as the quarterback.