Carolina Hurricanes vs. Detroit Red Wings: Game Preview, Lineups and Discussion

The Carolina Hurricanes will look to get themselves back on track and end their three-game losing streak as they host the Detroit Red Wings for the final regular season home game at PNC Arena this year.

It has been a difficult stretch for the Hurricanes as of late as they haven’t been able to muster a compelling full 60-minute effort in a while. Sometimes it’s the goaltending falling flat, sometimes it’s the offense drying up and sometimes its every aspect going poorly.

The Red Wings are coming off of a blowout loss to the Dallas Stars and have given up 18 goals in their last three games. Carolina needs to capitalize here and kick their funk if they want to maintain the Metropolitan Division lead.

It will require a full 60-minute effort with everyone giving it their all or else it might be yet another disappointing game from the Canes.

Game Notes

• Milestone Watch: Jordan Martinook is one assist shy of 100 career NHL assists and one point shy of 100 Hurricanes points; Brady Skjei is one goal shy of the Carolina Hurricanes single season, team record for goals by a defenseman (19) and one point shy of 200 career NHL points.
• Martin Necas passed the 70-point mark last night for the first time in his career, becoming the ninth different player in team history to reach that mark. The other players to reach the 70-point mark in a single season includes Eric Staal (x7), Ray Whitney (x2), Rod Brind’Amour (x2), Ron Francis (x2), Sebastian Aho (x2), Justin Williams, Cory Stillman and Teuvo Teravainen.
• This will be the final regular season home game for the Hurricanes this season. They are 27-10-3 at PNC Arena this year, which is the fourth best home record in the NHL behind only the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning.
• On the opposite side of the ice, Red Wings forward Alex Chiasson will lace them up for his 650th game tonight.

Projected Lineups

Hurricanes

Teuvo Teravainen - Sebastian Aho - Jesse Puljujarvi
Seth Jarvis - Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Martin Necas
Jordan Martinook - Jordan Staal - Jesper Fast
Stefan Noesen - Jack Drury - Derek Stepan

Jaccob Slavin - Brent Burns
Brady Skjei - Brett Pesce
Shayne Gostisbehere - Jalen Chatfield

Antti Raanta
Frederik Andersen

Scratches: Paul Stastny, Calvin de Haan, Dylan Coghlan

Injuries: Ondrej Kase (Concussion), Andrei Svechnikov (Knee), Max Pacioretty (Achilles)

The Blend-o-Matic was going in full force midway through the Ottawa game and with no morning skate today, the best we can do is project the lineup based on how they were before yesterday’s game.

Detroit Red Wings

Dominik Kubalik - Dylan Larkin - David Perron
Pius Suter - Andrew Copp - Lucas Raymond
Taro Hirose - Joe Veleno - Alex Chiasson
Jonatan Berggren - Austin Czarnik - Matt Luff

Jake Walman - Moritz Seider
Simon Edvinsson - Ben Chiarot
Olli Maatta - Gustav Lindstrom

Alex Nedeljkovic
Ville Husso
Magnus Hellberg

Scratches and Injuries: Adam Erne, Robert Hagg, Marco Kasper, Jordan Oesterle, Filip Zadina, Robby Fabbri, Mark Pysyk, Michael Rasmussen

The Red Wings also played last night and they were routed 6-1 by the Dallas Stars so a good chance they could see a shakeup too. That and Husso was pulled after giving up three goals on five shots so Nedeljkovic may play given his track record against Carolina.