Carolina Hurricanes head into Saturday’s game with slight edge over Minnesota Wild-NHL Preview
The Carolina Hurricanes are heading Minnesota to play Wild on Saturday, March 17, 2012 and the identical record of both low-scoring clubs leaves the game open to the possibilities of win by either side.
Yet the odds are seen slightly in favour of Hurricanes, who are just coming out of a win on past Thursday, and are weighed to be a better outfit for the weekend challenge.
Both teams are at the 13th position in Eastern and Western conferences, respectively, and have won almost equal number of games.
Hurricanes have won 27 games, while lost 29, with another 15 losses of overtime. The have scored 69 points on the league’s table with almost four positions behind last/8th position holders, the Washington Capitals, in the Eastern Conference.
Minnesota Wild meanwhile have gained 68 points and exactly four positions behind the last playoffs position holders, the Colorado Avalanche. They have won 29 and lost 31 games while another 10 losses had come in the overtime.
Their chances for making it to the playoffs this season is almost over for both teams, and they must looking to play the weekend game to only improve their record. Both of them currently are rated at the bottom of the league’s points table.
However, some commentators believe that Hurricanes did not deserve to be at the current position, as they by all standards are a better outfit.
This came as the proven fact on past Thursday, when Hurricanes looked to be quite a different unit, and while having played to their potential overpowered the St. Louis Blues.
Cam Ward, who had set the stage for their Thursday’s game is going to be crucial in their performance on the weekend, and if he manages to play his natural game, a victory is most likely to be certain for Hurricanes.
He said:
"Any team can beat any team on any given night. We've certainly shown that we're capable of playing with the top teams in this league, but you have to be able to do it for the full length of the season. We've had our fair share of ups and downs. (we need)
to continue to improve. You'd like to make that last push with 11 games left, and who knows what can happen."
His role becomes even more crucial in absence of the forward Jeff Skinner from the team, who is second-leading scorer for the side. He has scored 20 goals, so far.
Skinner is out serving the two-game suspension over involvement in a foul in the St. Louis game.
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