We're reaching a crucial point in the season when teams need to start stringing wins together. For the Carolina Hurricanes, that hasn't been happening consistently enough, leading them into a dogfight for second place in the division with the New Jersey Devils. With March beginning, it's now or never for the Canes to separate from their division rival to earn home ice.
They stumbled mightily in February, going 2-5-0 over the last 28 days with the 4 Nations Face-Off break in the middle. They faced some tough teams but had almost no puck luck for the better part of the month. It's put them in a spot where they need to have an outstanding month. That'll be easier said than done, but there is one big thing working in the Canes' favor in March.
Home Cooking
The Hurricanes are scheduled to play 14 games in March. Of those 14, nine of them will take place at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh. This is great news for the fans, but it might be even bigger for the guys on the ice. The Canes are one of the best home teams in the league, trailing only the Winnipeg Jets in wins. If there was ever a way for them to start stringing wins together, this is it.
The home games come in bunches, too. Their first two games of the month are a continuation of the three-game homestand that began on Thursday with Buffalo. They take a quick trip to Detroit next Tuesday before beginning a four-game homestand on Thursday. Then, after four straight road games, they'll return to Raleigh for another four-game set that carries into April.
Now, there's a small caveat to the first four-game homestand because it's a doozy. Over that eight-day stretch, the Canes will host Boston, Winnipeg, Tampa Bay, and Detroit, all of whom are in a playoff spot or are very close to one. It'll be far from an easy ride, but there aren't any back-to-backs, so that's a small win.
California Love
The Canes' extended road trip is their yearly journey through California. After visiting Philadelphia on the 15th, they'll get five days before venturing to the opposite coast for their three-game gauntlet through The Golden State. They'll begin with the Sharks for the final game after 8:30 pm this season before a weekend back-to-back against the Kings and the Ducks.
This is a very important trip for the group because there's no reason they shouldn't earn at least four points. The Kings are a tough opponent at home, but the Ducks and the Sharks are at the bottom of their division. If the Canes return home with anything less than four points, I will consider the trip disappointing.
Trade Deadline & Other Notes
Along with a busy month of hockey, there is also the trade deadline to navigate on March 7th. I'm not sure how active the Canes will be on deadline day since they've already made a big splash, but this team is far from complete. I wouldn't be surprised by anything this front office decides to do, though I'm steadfast in my belief that Mikko Rantanen remains a Hurricane post-deadline.
Another interesting scheduling note is the lack of division games in March. There are only two games against Metro opponents on the schedule over the next 31 days. They'll be in Philadelphia on the 15th and will host the Islanders in the final game of the month on the 30th. In all fairness, they've already completed their season series with New Jersey, Pittsburgh, and Columbus, so there isn't much left for them to do within the division.