NHL: Pens have ample opportunities to trim Canes' division lead

The Pittsburgh Penguins will look to gain ground in the Metropolitan Division when they face the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Carolina currently sits atop the division standings and holds an eight-point advantage over Pittsburgh. The matchup marks the first of three meetings between the teams in a 13-day span, making the upcoming stretch crucial for the Penguins as they try to close the gap.

Pittsburgh has experienced some inconsistency this month, posting a 1-2-1 record over its last four games. However, the Penguins are coming off an encouraging 5-4 overtime victory against the Boston Bruins on Sunday. The win served as a confidence boost as Pittsburgh begins a five-game road trip that both starts and ends in Raleigh.

Penguins coach Dan Muse said the victory was important for a team preparing for a demanding stretch of games.

Meanwhile, Carolina returns home after a West Coast road trip that resulted in a 2-2-0 record. Tuesday’s game will be the Hurricanes’ first home appearance in March, and they enter with momentum from an 11-game home-ice point streak.

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said he was largely pleased with his team’s effort during the trip despite some mixed results.

“I thought the three games prior to Saturday’s loss at Calgary were really good,” Brind'Amour said. “We didn’t get the result in Seattle, but I thought we played really well. The other two games — Vancouver and Edmonton — were really, really good.”

Despite the split on the road, Carolina became the first Eastern Conference team this season to reach the 40-win mark.

The Hurricanes could adjust their lineup again with defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere sidelined by a lower-body injury. Defenseman Sean Walker enters the matchup riding a career-best five-game point streak.

Another standout on the blue line has been rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin, who has scored eight goals this season, tying the franchise rookie defenseman record previously set by Justin Faulk.

Teammate Andrei Svechnikov encouraged Nikishin to continue firing the puck whenever he gets the opportunity.

“I tell him every time, ‘You got to shoot the puck,’” Svechnikov said. “He shoots hard and that’s what he has to do.”

Both teams have also made roster additions in recent days.

The Penguins, who have earned points in seven of their last nine games (4-2-3), acquired forward Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings on Friday. He made his Pittsburgh debut in Sunday’s win.

“It’s new systems and stuff like that,” Soderblom said. “But I tried to just play my game. I just don’t think too much and just play.”

Muse said Soderblom made an impact on the forecheck and expects him to grow more comfortable as he adjusts to his new team.

“It’s a lot for a guy when you just get traded to a new team and first game, but I thought he did a good job,” Muse said. “I’m excited that he’s here.”

Carolina also added some toughness to its roster after acquiring forward Nic Deslauriers from the Philadelphia Flyers late last week. Deslauriers joined the Hurricanes for Monday’s workout.

“I’ve really liked this guy for a long time because I know his character,” Brind'Amour said. “He’s a great teammate, first and foremost. He hasn’t played much, but we do know what he brings when he’s in the lineup — he’s super tough. He stands up for his group, and that’s something we really look forward to having around.”

—Field Level Media / Reuters