Preview: March 30 at Detroit

DETROIT, MI. -The Carolina Hurricanes open a two-game stint on the road, taking on the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena.

When: Thursday, March 30
Puck Drop:7:30 p.m. ET
Watch:ESPN+, Hulu
Listen:99.9 The Fan,
Hurricanes.com/Listen
, Hurricanes App
Canes Record:47-17-9 (103 Points, 1st, Metropolitan Division)
Canes Last Game:
4-0 Loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, March 28
Red Wings Record:32-32-9 (73 Points, 7th, Atlantic Division)
Red Wings Last Game:
7-4 Win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, March 28

PREVIOUS MEETINGS THIS SEASON

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NEWS & NOTES

Last Time Out:Don't let the score deceive you, the Canes didn't allow a ton of chances to Tampa Bay on Tuesday. However, the extent of the positives for the Metropolitan Division's leaders stopped there. They were shut out for the third time this month, unable to beat Andrei Vasilevskiy with any of their 29 shots.
Getting Healthier:Pyotr Kochetkov suffered the tough-luck loss on Tuesday, getting no goal support in the 4-0 defeat. Wednesday morning he was then
reassigned to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League
. The move signifies that Antti Raanta is at least ready to back up, returning from a lower-body injury that he suffered on March 7 in Montreal.
In Net:While Raanta practiced with the team on Wednesday, it would be atypical for Frederik Andersen to go consecutive games without a start. Could we potentially see Andersen in Detroit and then Raanta on Saturday in Montreal? Or is Raanta ready to get right back in the net this evening?
Changes On Special Teams:At Wednesday's practice the team once again shook up their man advantage units, utilizing the below and perhaps previewing what we could see for this contest:
Skjeisy Train:Brady Skjei scored his 16th goal of the season Sunday, improving his already career-best numbers. #76 now ranks fifth among NHL defensemen in goals scored this year, trailing only Erik Karlsson (22), Dougie Hamilton (19), Roman Josi (18), and Cale Makar (17).

As A Unit:Skjei's 16 goals are a part of the Canes' 49 goals from defensemen thus far this season. That number leads the league and is just two away from matching the franchise record in a single season.
Lock Them Up Early:The Canes have allowed just 14 first period goals since January 30th, one off of the league low.
Get The First One:Carolina is now 36-5-4 when scoring the first goal of the game. Only the Bruins (38) have more wins when earning the contest's first tally.
Shooting For Three:Rod Brind'Amour's club is 42-4-5 when scoring three goals or more this season.
On The Other Side:Starting the month still in the hunt for an Eastern Conference Wild Card spot, Detroit has had a difficult March. Going 4-9-1, they've produced just 34 goals in 14 games, tied for 29th in the NHL. Former Hurricane Alex Nedeljkovic is expected to start per Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. "Ned" has played 26 of his 38 games this season in the American Hockey League after being on waivers at one point this season. Carolina will still have their work cut out for them though, as Nedeljkovic's 46-save in Raleigh last April has not been forgotten.

INJURY UPDATES

Injuries are listed below in chronological order.

ADDITIONAL GAME INFORMATION

What Are We Wearing?:The Canes will be wearing white with white helmets.
Broadcast Alert:This contest is an ESPN+/Hulu special. Mike Monaco, Brian Boucher, and Dom Moore will have the TV broadcast, while Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy have the call on 99.9 The Fan.

AFTER THE FINAL HORN

The Canes are scheduled to travel to Montreal post-game and have off on Friday. They'll then return to work on Saturday with an evening contest against the Canadiens, before returning home to host the Islanders on Sunday.
Worth A Click:
Canes Clinch Fifth Consecutive Playoff Berth
Mailbag: Aaron Ward
Junior Canes Teams Playing For National Championships
2022-23 Single Game Tickets
NHL Standings
March Schedule
Learn More About Season Ticket Memberships For The 2023-24 Season