Gold: Getting set for the finale
Posted April 28, 2022 2:49 p.m. EDT
Updated April 28, 2022 4:45 p.m. EDT
82 games is a long season for a sport as physical and aggressive as hockey. Tonight, as the Carolina Hurricanes welcome the New Jersey Devils, is the 82nd and final game of a spectacular regular season.
The Carolina Hurricanes won the Metropolitan Division, outright. They allowed the fewest goals (2.37/game) in the NHL, their goaliest had the best goals against average (2.41) in the NHL, and only the Rangers had a better team save percentage (.914). Carolina stands 9th in goals per game (3.35), 11th on the power play (22.3%) and has the best penalty kill (88%) in the league.
And for all that there are still doubts that this team is a bonafide Stanley Cup contender. Are they the favorite? No. The Colorado Avalanche (+350) and the Florida Panthers (+550) are the top choices among the sharps in the desert. But, the Hurricanes are the same price (+1100) as the 2-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning according to Caesars Sportsbook.
So, these Canes are NOT long shots.
Here’s one more thing to digest before the finale. Among the eight playoff teams in the Eastern Conference, Carolina trail only the Panthers in record against the other 7 playoff teams in the East. The Hurricanes were 12-6-5 against the postseason field, Florida went 13-6-3. Then process the fact that the Panthers won all three from Carolina, 2 in overtime, and you see just how good the Canes were against the best in their conference.
Overall, when you toss in the 8 playoff squads from the Western Conference, it’s the Hurricanes who sport the best record. Carolina went a tidy 23-10-6, 4 points better than Florida’s 21-11-6. Now, that doesn’t mean anything come May. But, it should demonstrate that when it comes to playing against the best, the Canes are very much in their element.
Unless, of course, you spend any time on Canes Twitter.
Tonight’s game against the Devils carries exactly no meaning. The Canes can’t finish any higher than first and they’ve already clinched that spot with the win at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. So, the real goal is to avoid injury. That will be the only measure of success tonight.
Carolina has won two of the three meetings with New Jersey this year. Jack LaFrontaine made his first NHL start on January 22 and got roasted by the Devils, 7-4. Oh, it wasn’t all his fault, the Canes were awful in front of him. Seven days later, Carolina beat New Jersey at PNC Arena, 2-1, in front of Antti Raanta.
Five days ago, in the front side of a weekend set of back-to-back matinees, Pyotr Kochetkov watches as his teammates rallied from a 2-0 deficit with less than five minutes to play and then won it in overtime on a Seth Jarvis goal.
Line ‘em up…
Lorentz-Aho-Jarvis
Domi-Trocheck-Teravainen
Niederreiter-Stepan-Fast
Martinook-Kotkaniemi-Necas
Cole-DeAngelo
Skjei-Pesce
Smith-Bear
Raanta
Note: Jordan Staal, Jaccob Slavin and Andrei Svechnikov are healthy extras tonight.
Wanna bet…?
ML: Carolina -240/NJ Devils +200. O/U: 6.5 goals.
Storm Watch starring Dennis Cox rolls at 6:30 on 99.9 the Fan with the opening face off coming just after 7:00. Be sure to follow the Canes Corner Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. A new episode drops the #MorningAfter every Hurricanes game.
