While by no means the prettiest victory in the world, the Carolina Hurricanes got back on the right side of things with a chaotic overtime victory over the Boston Bruins to clinch the Metropolitan Division. They secured the top spot in the Metro by getting the game to overtime, so Jaccob Slavin scoring his first goal of the season to win it felt like the cherry on top.
The Canes' hunt isn't over yet. The top spot in the Eastern Conference is still up for grabs, with the group challenging three teams in the Atlantic for the honor. All four teams still in contention are in action tonight, including the Bolts in Montreal to face the Habs. A win tonight could go a long way in adding a little separation from the pack.
On the Other Side: Chicago Blackhawks
Last meeting: The Blackhawks visited Raleigh in late January and came away with a win. They led the game at three points in the contest, but the Canes scored a goal to tie it each time. Joel Nystrom scored his first career goal in the first, Jordan Staal tied it in the second, and Jackson Blake sent it to overtime in the third. The Hawks prevailed in the shootout, winning in the sixth round.
For the sixth straight season and the eighth time in nine years, the Chicago Blackhawks will watch the postseason from home. It is also going to be their fourth straight season at the bottom of the Central Division. They've won just six times in 21 contests since the Olympic break, continuing a freefall down the standings that started all the way back in mid-November.
A big reason for their continued struggles has been their lack of offensive production. The Blackhawks sit last in goals per game and near the bottom in goals scored. Outside of a pair of 30-goal players, led by Tyler Bertuzzi's 32, no one else on the roster has more than 16 goals. Only three players have more than 40 points.
Over the next few seasons, this Blackhawks team will start to show signs of life after a long rebuild. They've stockpiled a ton of high draft picks and are almost guaranteed to get another one this year. Eventually, those picks will hit, and we'll see them make their way up the standings. For now, they're stuck at the bottom as the rebuild trudges on.
Blackhawks to Watch
Connor Bedard: Starting the season on a tear with 19 goals and 44 points in 31 games, an injury threw Bedard's campaign for a loop. He's still pacing the Blackhawks with 72 points this season, but Bedard hasn't been nearly as dominant. He hasn't scored a goal in his last six games, though he enters the night on a three-game point streak.
Anton Frondell: Selected third overall last June, Frondell recently joined the Hawks' roster for the stretch run, and he has hit the ground running. He picked up points in four of his first five games, including his first NHL goal last Tuesday. In his first eight games, Frondell has six points, showing us just what he's capable of and can become in the NHL.
Hurricanes to Watch
Jackson Blake: As his sophomore season comes to an end, Blake has improved his scoring production by almost two points. His two helpers in Tuesday's win propelled him over 50 points, making him the fifth Hurricane to do so this season. Blake has six points during his ongoing four-game point streak, and he could see more playing time over these final few contests.
Jordan Martinook: Quietly, Martinook is starting to heat up offensively. He just isn't being flashy about it. Almost all of his production has come because of the hard work he puts in on every shift. He has points in three of his last four games, including an assist against the Bruins. Martinook is over 100 hits for the first time since 2018-19, too.