The first two chances for the Carolina Hurricanes to win the Metropolitan Division didn't land. On Saturday, it was out of their hands. On Sunday, the Canes looked two steps behind when they faced the Ottawa Senators. Taylor Hall scored his 300th goal, and Jackson Blake had two helpers, but the Senators earned a big 6-3 win for their playoff hopes.
Like on Sunday, the Hurricanes need just one point to secure the division crown over an idle Pittsburgh team. This is the second of three big boxes for them to check before the postseason begins next weekend. The last is the top spot in the Eastern Conference, which is likely to come down to the Canes or one of three teams over 100 points in the Atlantic Division.
On the Other Side: Boston Bruins
Last meeting: The Canes were in Boston for the second time this season in mid-November, and the fourth line carried the load. Jordan Staal scored the ice breaker midway through the second before Mark Jankowski and Taylor Hall added to the lead. The Bruins ruined Pyotr Kochetkov's shutout with ten seconds remaining, but the Canes still prevailed, 3-1.
While there are some questions surrounding the order of the top three in their division and who will secure the final playoff spots, the Boston Bruins seem pretty locked into their position. The Bruins own a five-point lead for the first Wild Card spot, and they're five points out of third place in the Atlantic, seemingly meaning they'll get the "worse" of the two division winners.
The Bruins are a team that likes scoring quite a bit. Boston is in the Top 10 in goals scored and on the power play, and they're just outside of there in goals per game. Former Hurricanes Morgan Geekie paces the group with 34 goals, Pavel Zacha is having a career year, and their depth scoring has been solid. However, everyone knows that David Pastrnak is the one you pay to see.
Their defensive numbers are also very respectable, sitting in the middle third of the league in most major categories. Olympic Gold medalist Jeremy Swayman has been great since the pause. Over his last 14 starts, Swayman is 8-5-1 with a .922 save percentage. He has been a tough-luck loser in his last two outings, only getting one goal of support in losses to Florida and Tampa Bay.
Bruins to Watch
David Pastrnak: When you're playing the Bruins, you always know when Pastrnak is on the ice. Three points away from another 100-point campaign, Pastrnak hasn't scored a goal in his last six games, but he has seven assists during that time. When he hits it, it'll be his fourth straight season over the century mark, and he has already hit a new best with 68 helpers.
Viktor Arvidsson: While he has always been a good player, Arvidsson has clearly found a great fit with the Bruins. He's up to 24 goals and 51 points this season, his first 50-point campaign since 2022-23 and the fourth of his career. Arvidsson was a big part of their win over the Canes in early November, but he was injured for the return trip a few weeks later.
Hurricanes to Watch
Logan Stankoven: Entering the night on a four-game point streak, Stankoven has gotten very hot at the right time. He has four goals during that span, putting him on the verge of his first 20-goal, 40-point season. Stankoven's face-off numbers have also gotten better during this time, going 21-for-39 over the last four games.
Eric Robinson: When the Canes beat the Bruins in November, the fourth line was a big part of it. Robinson didn't record a point in that game, but he was a +2. Since returning from injury after the break, the scoring well has run dry for Robinson. He has just two goals and three points over his last 19 contests and none in his last seven.