‘Coming home’ a theme for Triangle teams as basketball season wanes, hockey marches on
The Hurricanes are returning to PNC Arena this week for a pair of rescheduled games after what must feel for fans like an eternity.
The Canes were on a roll before the All-Star break, collecting four consecutive one-goal wins to close out the NHL’s unofficial first half. The past week started out rough with a pair of losses on the road before a big rebound in Boston on Thursday.
The Canes will lace ‘em up twice at home this week against a pair of familiar foes: Florida on Wednesday and Nashville on Friday. Both teams were in the Canes’ division last season under the NHL’s modified, COVID-induced alignment, so Carolina saw plenty of them.
This year, we’re back to normal, and it’s probably a good thing, because that alignment would have created a monster of a division.
The Panthers are arguably the team to beat in the NHL this season, and certainly among the top teams in the East with 69 points in 47 games through Friday. They’re the one team in the East, and one of two teams overall that have a better goal differential than the Canes (plus-55 to plus-53).
Nashville, back in the Western Conference’s Central Division this season, has been a pleasant surprise, currently sitting in second place in that division. The play of its netminders has been a big reason why. With a goal differential of just plus-18, the Preds are winning a lot of close games.
Speaking of coming home
The NC State women are going to be happy to get back home to Reynolds, too. An overtime thriller in Chestnut Hill against Boston College on Thursday was a lot closer then they’d envisioned.
After a brief trip to Cameron on Sunday to take on Duke, the Wolfpack women return home for a pair of ACC games this week, first against Wake Forest and then next weekend against Syracuse. The latest NCAA tournament selection projection still as the Pack sitting as a No. 1 seed, but taking care of business at home this week should help solidify that standing.
Did we mention a homecoming?
The Duke men’s basketball team will return to comfy Cameron this week, too, though its opponents are nothing to sneeze at.
Wake Forest, which the Blue Devils will see on Tuesday, sat at 10-4 as of Friday night and just a half game behind Duke and Notre Dame in the ACC standings. The Demon Deacons have exceeded expectations this season, and sit at 20-5 overall.
Then there’s Florida State. Remember the Seminoles? They were on an early tear in the ACC and led the conference for a bit. They also are one of four teams to beat Duke this season. Sure, doing that in the second-to-last game of Coach K’s Cameron coaching career is going to be a much bigger challenge, but it has to be at the back of the Blue Devils’ minds.
Touching home
We’re at that awkward point of the school sports season where everything seems to overlap. Baseball … yes, baseball … returns to regular-season action this week in the NCAA, and that includes N.C. State, which a year ago captured attention around the country with its run to the College World Series.
The Wolfpack starts its season with a three-game set this weekend against Evansville at Doak Field at Dail Park.
Duke, last year’s surprise ACC champ, opens its slate on Friday, also, against VMI at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, while UNC opens at home against Seton Hall.
This story was originally published February 13, 2022 at 12:00 AM with the headline "‘Coming home’ a theme for Triangle teams as basketball season wanes, hockey marches on."
