Carolina Hurricanes (27-9-3) vs. Detroit Red Wings (13-23-6)
The Carolina Hurricanes did exactly what was needed on Thursday, pulling out a second consecutive win over the Florida Panther to recapture the top spot in the Central Division. The race in the division is tight, and with no one truly pulling away from the pack yet, it could come down to the final few games of the season.
So every point counts, maybe even a little more than usual, given the one point separation between the Hurricanes and their Florida-based competitors. With both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers are in action today as well, a win today over the Red Wings is crucial to either keep pace or put some more distance between the teams.