Game Preview: Wild versus Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes return home for a two-game series after a road trip to the northeast. They will host the Minnesota Wild and Buffalo Sabres at the Lenovo Center.
Carolina Hurricanes Recent Performance
On Tuesday, the Hurricanes secured a strong victory against the struggling New York Rangers. Nikolaj Ehlers scored his first goal as a Hurricane on a power play. Carolina controlled the second and third periods, allowing only one shot from the Rangers in the final period. Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov made 26 saves and earned a shutout in his season debut despite a depleted Hurricanes defense.
Minnesota Wild Season Overview
The Wild were predicted to be a bubble playoff team but have had a tough start. After winning two of their first three games, Minnesota managed only one win in their last nine games during October. They broke a five-game losing streak on November 1 and recently defeated Nashville in overtime.
Minnesota’s Power Play Strength
Minnesota’s power play is one of the best in the NHL, ranked third, converting on 31.5% of their chances. Kirill Kaprizov leads the team, tied for ninth in league scoring with eight goals and 10 assists. He is second in the NHL in both power play goals (5) and points (9).
- Other key Minnesota players with double-digit points this season include Matt Boldy, Marco Rossi, and Marcus Johansson.
"Nikolaj Ehlers netted his first goal as a Hurricane, and did so on the power play."
"The Wild ended a five-game losing streak on November 1 and took down Nashville in overtime on Tuesday."
"Kaprizov is tied for ninth in the league in scoring, tallying eight goals and 10 assists so far this season."
Author's summary: The Hurricanes return home off a key win as they prepare to face a Minnesota Wild squad that relies heavily on a top-tier power play and Kirill Kaprizov’s offensive leadership.