Hurricanes at Red Wings
THE STORY: The Carolina Hurricanes look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive when they visit the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. The Hurricanes sit 11th in the East while the Red Wings are clinging to the fourth spot in the West. This is the only meeting between the clubs. Detroit has taken three of its last four versus Carolina. The Hurricanes are just 4-14-1 in their last 19 against with the Red Wings.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN (Carolina) FSN + (Detroit)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (30-30-15): The Hurricanes are still mathematically alive in the East playoff race, but would likely have to win all seven remaining games to have a chance of qualifying. Carolina trails Buffalo and Washington by seven points for the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference. The Hurricanes had won four straight prior to Friday’s 5-1 loss to Columbus. Defenseman Jaroslav Spacek has missed the last three games with a lower-body injury and is questionable versus Detroit.
ABOUT THE RED WINGS (44-25-5): The Red Wings don’t have a realistic chance of finishing higher than their fourth in the West. Detroit trails St. Louis by eight points with eight games remaining for the Central Division lead. The Red Wings can lose ground quite easily. Both Nashville and Chicago trail Detroit by a single point for home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Red Wings will have an opportunity to separate themselves from the pack, as they play four of their next five games at home. Captain Nicklas Lidstrom has missed 11 straight games with a deep ankle bruise and will be a game-time decision Saturday.
OVERTIME:
1. Carolina has won just six of its last 22 Saturday games.
2. The Red Wings have a home-and-home series against the NHL-worst Columbus Blue Jackets next Monday and Wednesday.
3. Detroit forward Johan Franzen hit the ice for about 20 minutes Friday after missing the last two games because of back spasms. “I skated kind of half-hard with no problems, but I can’t do too much, so I did what I could,” Franzen said.