Rachel Barkley
Just sixteen games remain in the regular season for the Carolina Hurricanes, who will face the Columbus Blue Jackets Tuesday in Nationwide Arena.
The game is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT.
Tuesday’s game comes on the heels of the Hurricanes’ 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, a game that celebrated the mothers and mentors of players who had brought them along for the biennial moms’ trip. The game not only saw the Hurricanes outplay the Lightning, but also featured the first career NHL fight of Seth Jarvis, who dropped the gloves with Zemgus Girgensons after a heavy hit to linemate Sebastian Aho.
Interestingly, the Blue Jackets’ last game also featured a fight from a top-line forward in defense of a teammate. After defenseman Damon Severson took a hard hit from the Philadelphia Flyers’ Carl Grundstrom, Adam Fantilli mixed it up with Grundstrom in just his second career NHL fight.
Additionally, Erik Gudbranson, who has been out with an upper-body injury, took part in the Blue Jackets’ optional practice Monday will be a game-time decision going into Tuesday’s tilt.
The Latest Record Claimed by the Hurricanes
After practice Monday, Rod Brind’Amour spoke to the media about a plethora of topics. One such topic was regarding the new NHL record he holds after becoming the winningest coach through the first 600 games. When asked what the achievement means to him, he pulled a classic Brind’Amour and pointed towards others who contribute to the team.
“It means we’ve got a great team, great players, great coaching staff,” he said. “It’s not about the one guy. No coach is worth his weight if he doesn’t have good staff. It’s just too much to do.
“I’ve just been blessed with, I think, the best staff that prepares our group and helps me do my job. So, that’s really a reflection on the group.”
In the Crease
During practice Monday, Brandon Bussi had the starter’s crease. While his last game was a loss for the Hurricanes, who were brickwalled by St. Louis Blues netminder Jordan Binnington, he played very well. He made big stops, smart plays, and his stickhandling was phenomenal. His save percentage this season is .897, with a goals against average of 2.37 across a 25-5-1 record.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets will likely start Elvis Merzlikins, who has appeared to have taken the brunt of the starts in the recent stretch. His save percentage this season is .885, with a goals against average of 3.40 across a 13-9-3 record.
Although I must be honest…I can’t deny that it would be fun to watch noted Frederik Andersen fan, Jet Greaves, play against his childhood hero.
Expected Carolina Hurricanes Lines
Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook
William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson
Defense
Jaccob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller – Sean Walker
Mike Reilly – Alexander Nikishin
Goaltenders
Frederik Andersen / Brandon Bussi
Expected Blue Jackets Lines
Mason Marchment – Adam Fantilli – Kirill Marchenko
Kent Johnson – Sean Monahan – Conor Garland
Cole Sillinger – Charlie Coyle – Mathieu Olivier
Isac Lundestrom – Boone Jenner – Danton Heinen
Defense
Zach Werenski – Dante Fabbro
Ivan Provorov – Denton Mateychuk
Damon Severson – Egor Zamula
Goaltenders
Elvis Merzlikins / Jet Greaves
Special Teams
Carolina Hurricanes power play: 22.0% (12th, moved down one spot from previous game)
Carolina Hurricanes penalty kill: 79.9% (13th, moved up one spot from previous game)
Columbus Blue Jackets power play: 20.1% (17th)
Columbus Blue Jackets penalty kill: 77.6% (24th)
Hurricanes Game Notes
Andrei Svechnikov did not attend practice Monday morning, to which Brind’Amour said that he didn’t feel 100 percent but that he should be alright. During practice, Eric Robinson covered his spot on the top line, while Nicolas Deslauriers drew into the fourth line in his stead.
Shayne Gostisbehere is expected to remain out for the fifth game in a row after sustaining a lower-body injury. Brind’Amour said that he believes that he is trending closer, but stated that he ultimately didn’t have much information about the injury.
How To Watch
TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 99.9 The Fan
