Finding a Way
The Hurricanes didn't play their best hockey on Friday night. They weren't even the better team. But, they found a way to get the win.
And that's what matters most.
"Every single game matters a lot, so we've got to make sure we even win the close ones," Niederreiter said. "They had a great push. They have some phenomenal players on their roster, but at the end of the day, we got the win."
"It just didn't feel like we quite could get to what we needed to do. I give them a lot of credit. The other team played really hard. They were kind of dictating more of the play for most of the night," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "We just battled and hung in there. Our goaltender was great tonight, and that was probably the difference in the game."
Niederreiter scored the first goal of the game just 37 seconds in. He then scored the last goal of the game with 3:37 to play in regulation. Those goals - his seventh and eighth in 12 games with the Canes - bookended a stellar performance in net from McElhinney, who earned his fourth consecutive win.
"We're just getting critical plays at critical times right now," McElhinney said. "We know what the situation is. It's going to take a lot for us to get in the playoffs, but the guys have been rolling since before the break, and we came out of it pretty hot, so it's just a matter of gas pedal to the floor."
Climbing the Ranks
With 24 games remaining in the regular season, the Hurricanes find themselves a point below the playoff cut line in the Eastern Conference.
PROJECTED LINEUP
It's an ever-changing, oft-sifting target, but if the Hurricanes keep winning, they'll find themselves on the right side of it in the end.
"It's coming down to playoff hockey and who wants it more," Niederreiter said. "We've got to make sure we find a way to battle out games like tonight. It definitely wasn't our best hockey we've played, but we found a way to win. That's what matters."
"They're hard-working, honest guys who play for each other," Brind'Amour said. "That's special."
The Opposition
Saturday's tilt marks the fifth straight game the Stars have played away from Dallas, a stretch in which they've recorded a 1-2-1 record. After shutting out the Florida Panthers, 3-0, on Tuesday, the Stars were whipped, 6-0, by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. With a 29-23-5 record and 63 points, the Stars occupy the first wild card position in the Western Conference.
ADVANCE AUTO PARTS KEYS TO THE GAME
