The Carolina Hurricanes (50-20-9, 109 points, 1st Metro) are playoff bound but could finish anywhere between 1st and 3rd in the Metropolitan Division with just three games remaining on their regular season schedule when visiting the Ottawa Senators (38-35-7, 83 points, 6th Atlantic), who have already been eliminated from postseason contention. The difference between first and third in the Metropolitan Division is just three points. Carolina has lost two straight after falling to the Buffalo Sabres 4-3. Ottawa snapped a four-game losing skid with a 7-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday. Carolina will play without Jack Gardiner, Ondrej Kase, Max Pacioretty and Andrei Svechnikov amongst others. Ottawa has too long of an injury list to write but the injuries must be reviewed before making a wager on this.
The Carolina Hurricanes are allowing an average of only 2.54 goals per game which is second best in hockey while scoring an average of 3.16 goals per game which is 16th best. Carolina is allowing an average of just 25.8 shots per game which is the fewest in the NHL, while taking an average of 34.9 shots per game which is third best. Carolina's penalty kill unit is second best at 84.0% and its power play is 20th at 20.5%.
Sebastian Aho is the leading goal scorer for Carolina with 35, while Martin Necas is second with 28 goals. The leader in assists is Brent Burns with 43 and Necas is a close second with 41. Necas has the lead in points with 69 and Aho is second with 65. Carolina has scored 49 goals on the power play in 79 games with Necas scoring a team best nine. Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen is 20-10-1 with a 2. 41 goals against average, .904 save percentage and one shutout. Backup goalie Antti Raanta has a 2.28 goals against average.