Before any of that matters, the Jets still have to play in Florida on Friday. That is the second half of a Tampa-Florida back-to-back, and it comes days after the Panthers beat them 5-1 in Winnipeg. It also decides whether Winnipeg reaches Raleigh still looking for a win, which goalie is fresh for Sunday, and how many legs the skaters have left for their 3rd game in 4 nights. Bush's picks on this one wait until the Florida game is final.
Carolina is the opposite story. The Hurricanes are 11-2-2 and have won 3 straight, and they've done it without captain Jordan Staal (torn calf, expected to miss 1-2 months), Taylor Hall or Alexander Nikishin. Rod Brind'Amour said Thursday that Hall will miss a few more games. The recent wins have been tight ones: 2-1 over Boston and then 3-2 over Columbus, scoring once in each period and holding the Blue Jackets scoreless for 40 minutes before a late push fell 1 goal short. They have also won ugly, like the 4-0 shutout in St. Louis, and run up the score, like the 6-3 win in Vancouver. The one bad night in the last 5 was a 6-5 loss in Edmonton.
The schedule favors Carolina. The Hurricanes last played Thursday at home and sit for 2 days before puck drop at 1:00 PM ET. Winnipeg flies up from South Florida after back-to-back road games. A Sunday matinee is a tough spot for a team that has trouble scoring, playing in front of a goalie who's still being sorted out, against a Carolina team that wins close games by keeping things tight.