Carolina Hurricanes – Pittsburgh Penguins: the top dog under pressure 
The East’s number one is on thin ice and could be unseated any minute after a stop-start run since the break. Still, when the Penguins come to town the Canes hold the upper hand: head-to-head history, Pittsburgh’s injury carnage and Carolina’s home form all point one way.
Can Carolina back that up on the ice? We break down this regular-season clash and pick the cleanest play for the night.
Hurricanes ruthless at home 
In March Rod Brind’Amour’s men haven’t found cruise control — they’ve been flipping between wins and losses. This weekend they handled last week’s Eastern bogeyman, Tampa Bay Lightning, then folded a few days later to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Still, Carolina sit top of the East, clinging to a slim two-point cushion over Buffalo.
At PNC Arena it’s a different story: they’re brimming with confidence and have won 6 of their last 7 home games. The home numbers are scary: 2nd in home wins, 3rd in points percentage and 2nd-best attack. On the injury front, defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere could make his return — maybe even tonight versus the Pens. Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov, however, is out for about a month. We also saw the debut of gritty Nicolas Deslauriers, freshly traded, who grabbed Eric Robinson’s spot on the fourth line.
Penguins coming alive 
The Pens roll into North Carolina on their first winning streak since the restart. Dan Muse’s men have taken down two Western heavyweights in their last two outings — Utah Mammoth (4-3) and then a 7-2 drubbing of the Colorado Avalanche. Pittsburgh sit fifth in the East, but the hunt is frantic: six teams are a single win back.
On the road the Pens are steady — 18 wins in 34 games (52.9%). For away points they’re 6th in the NHL (63.2%), and their defense away from home is the second-tightest in the league at just 2.65 goals against per game. The real ball-and-chain, though, is the injury list. Ahead of facing the leaders, defenders Samuel Girard, Ryan Graves, Caleb Jones and forwards Sidney Crosby, Filip Hallander, Blake Lizotte and Kevin Hayes are listed out, though Justin Brazeau has just returned. There’s a slim hope Crosby, Girard and Hayes skate tonight.
NHL Prediction Carolina Hurricanes vs Pittsburgh Penguins
Over 5.5 goals in the game
Both teams have been serving up offensive shows lately. Simple fact: Pittsburgh’s last seven games have all gone over 5.5 goals. The same goes for Carolina — at least six goals in six of their last seven outings.
The stat that seals it: heavy beatings (like the one Carolina took in Columbus) tend to wake them up and force them to open the play. In six of seven games where the Canes lost by four or more goals, the next game turned into a fireworks display (at least six total goals). Combine those big trends with the current shakiness in goal on both sides, and backing Over 5.5 goals is by far the night’s most logical — and safest — play.
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