Having gone through several goalies this season, the Carolina Hurricanes could have new-found confidence between the pipes after a strong effort from Spencer Martin during the weekend.
Having options in net should be encouraging for the Hurricanes going into Monday night's game against the Chicago Blackhawks in Raleigh, N.C.
While Pyotr Kochetkov likely gets the call for the Hurricanes against Chicago, Martin's 29-save effort in the 3-1 result at Vegas expanded the possibilities for the Hurricanes. It was Martin's second start for the team.
"You just know someone is going to be there to stop the puck if we have a breakdown," Carolina forward Stefan Noesen said of the Hurricanes' goaltending. "It allows us to stay aggressive and play the system that we like to play. Having a solid guy back there, it doesn't matter who is in net right now, they're kicking pretty good. Obviously, we want to limit those as much as possible, but when we need them, they've been there."
The Hurricanes have won four of their last five games. Yet it's been a taxing stretch for Carolina, which won on Friday and Saturday nights at Arizona and Vegas, respectively, before returning to the East Coast.
The Blackhawks are probably feeling better after Saturday's 3-2 victory against the Ottawa Senators snapped an eight-game losing streak.
The goalie for Chicago is likely ex-Carolina netminder Petr Mrazek, who has been steady despite the team's struggles.
"I think it has been one of the best seasons (for me) personally, and we've still got 27, 28 games left so let's keep it up," said Mrazek, who stopped 40 shots Saturday to match a season high.
Jason Dickinson had the game-winning goal for the Blackhawks, giving him a team-leading 17 goals for the season.
"He has been unreal this year," teammate Connor Bedard said of Dickinson "He's probably one of the hardest guys to play (against) in the league. It looks like no fun to play against him and then he's contributing offensively like that."
Bedard has done his part, supplying three points in the past two games since he returned from a jaw injury.
"No too often does an 18-year-old come in and have this kind of an impact on a team," Dickinson said. "It's very few players that have the opportunity to do something like that and it's even fewer that take the opportunity and run with it. He's a special player."
The trip to Raleigh will mark the only road game in February for the Blackhawks.
The Hurricanes could receive a boost from winger Andrei Svechnikov, who scored Saturday for his first tally in four games since returning from his latest injury absence.
Carolina has won four of its last five home games, though it scored more than three goals in only one of those games. The Hurricanes are 17-6-4 in home games.
The Blackhawks and Hurricanes will meet for the second time this season in the final week of the regular season.
Monday's game is the opening of a stretch of three home games in six nights for Carolina.
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