Canadiens at Hurricanes
A season that began with such immense promise is nearing a merciful end for the Montreal Canadiens, who will play their final road game with a visit to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. It also marks the final home game for the Hurricanes, who will miss the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
Montreal burst out of the gates with a record-setting 9-0-0 start to stamp itself as an early Stanley Cup favorite. Injuries, particularly to reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Carey Price, KO'd the Canadiens, who have won only 17 times in their last 54 games (17-34-3) following a blistering 19-4-3 start. Carolina was mathematically eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday but coach Bill Peters liked the way his team rebounded by playing the role of spoiler with a 2-1 shootout victory at Boston on Tuesday night. "Well, I think Detroit thinks it's very meaningful," Peters said, referring to the Red Wings' pursuit of a playoff berth. "I think Philadelphia and Boston think it's meaningful. I think it's meaningful."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, RDS, Sportsnet East (Montreal), FSN Carolinas
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (36-38-6): Montreal announced on Wednesday that Price and standout defenseman P.K. Subban are done for the season. Subban has been out with a neck injury since March 10, when he was stretched off the ice following a scary collision, while Price has not played since Nov. 25 with what the team revealed was a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. "Although Carey has made excellent progress and is very close to being able to return to competition, he has not presently been cleared to do so," team physician Vincent Lacroix said
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (35-29-16): Rookie defenseman Noah Hanifin, who grew up in suburban Boston and played collegiately at Boston College, had a homecoming to remember when he netting the lone goal in the shootout to damage the postseason hopes of the team he cheered for growing up.
"It was pretty cool," said Hanifin, the No. 5 overall pick in 2015. "I don't know how many of my buddies are going to be happy about it, but it was definitely special." Carolina's Cam Ward has permitted a combined seven goals during his current 3-0-1 streak.
OVERTIME
1. Canadiens G Charlie Lindgren will make his NHL debut against Carolina.
2. The Hurricanes have dropped six of their last seven (1-5-1) in the series, including a 2-1 shootout loss at Montreal on Feb. 7.
3. The Canadiens are 4-for-53 on the power play over their last 19 games.