Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes face the Chicago Blackhawks for the first of two meetings this season. Both teams will enter the game following one heck of a showing from their goaltenders in their previous games.
During the Hurricanes’ win against the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, Brandon Bussi played like a madman as he managed to stop pucks even the announcers thought had gone in. The very same day, Spencer Knight led the Blackhawks to victory with a 32-save shutout against the Winnipeg Jets as Chicago welcomed their former Captain Jonathan Toews back into the United Center.
Thursday’s game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM EST.
The Hurricanes have been on a heater in the dash to the Olympic break, with just seven games left. They have won seven of their last 10 and currently sit on a three-game winning streak. The Blackhawks, on the other hand, have won six of their last 10, with their latest win snapping a three-game skid.
However, the Blackhawks have been missing notable players in their lineup over recent weeks due to both injury and illness. Frank Nazar is expected to make his return against the Hurricanes following a month-long absence after he took a slapshot to the jaw. Additionally, sentimental Hurricanes fans will likely notice a familiar face missing in Thursday’s tilt, as the eight-year veteran of the team, Teuvo Teravainen, is currently dealing with an upper-body injury.
Per the starter creases during practice, it appears that the goaltenders will be Frederik Andersen and Spencer Knight.
Andersen has struggled lately, but after he gave one of his best performances of the season in his last game, he appeared to have regained confidence. His numbers this season reflect the tumultuous season he’s had thus far, with career lows in save percentage (.869) and goals against average (3.25). Additionally, he has posted a 7-10-3 record.
On the flipside, Knight has shown impressive numbers despite the Blackhawks’ struggles. He has notched a save percentage of .913 and a goals against average of 2.53 with three shutouts across a 14-13-6 record.
Expected Carolina Hurricanes Lines
Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook
Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Mark Jankowski – William Carrier
Defense
Jaccob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller – Sean Walker
Alexander Nikishin – Joel Nystrom
Goaltenders
Frederik Andersen / Brandon Bussi
Expected Blackhawks Lines
Ryan Greene – Connor Bedard – Andre Burakovsky
Ryan Donato – Frank Nazar – Tyler Bertuzzi
Nick Foligno – Jason Dickinson – Ilya Mikheyev
Landon Slaggert – Oliver Moore – Nick Lardis
Defense
Alex Vlasic – Louis Crevier
Wyatt Kaiser – Artyom Levshunov
Matt Grzelcyk – Connor Murphy
Goaltenders
Spencer Knight / Arvid Soderblom
Special Teams
Carolina Hurricanes power play: 21.9% (12th)
Carolina Hurricanes penalty kill: 79.6% (16th)
Chicago Blackhawks power play: 21.6% (13th)
Chicago Blackhawks penalty kill: 84.6% (2nd)
Hurricanes Game Notes
Eric Robinson sustained an injury against the Buffalo Sabres, and per head coach Rod Brind’Amour, is expected to miss an extended period of time. Nonetheless, he participated in a partial practice with his arm in a sling.
Shayne Gostisbehere, who is nursing a lower-body injury, is expected to remain out. Brind’Amour was unable to provide an update or expected timeline, but said that he should know more once Gostisbehere resumes skating.
How to Watch
TV: ESPN+
Streaming: Hulu
Radio: 99.9 The Fan
