RSS Hurricanes Team Notes

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Rangers down Hurricanes, 4-2.

The Rangers converted on their chances, the Hurricanes did not, and one of the oddest teams in the NHL this season picked up another road win on Wednesday Night as the New York Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 in a pre-Thanksgiving matchup in Raleigh.

Igor Shesterkin made 36 stops, several of the high-danger variety as the Canes once again could not cash in on good opportunities. Frederick Andersen stopped 15 on 18 shots, a couple as a result of some rough turnovers by Carolina.

The Canes got out to a rested start in the first with an up and down series that tested both starting goalies Frederik Andersen and Igor Shesterkin. The opening two minutes saw breakaways going on both ends, and the best way to describe it was by Cory Lavalette—“Hair on fire.” The constant back and forth eventually led to a Power Play for the Canes as Artemi Panarin tripped up Sebastian Aho. The group came up empty, as the best chance was a Jackson Blake shot at the end.

The lacking Power Play seemed to bolster the Rangers, as the ice tilted their way toward the end of the first. Sure enough with only their third shot on goal, the Rangers took the lead thanks to a mix up that left Noah Laba all alone in front of Andersen who was screened by Adam Edstrom. Laba popped the puck over Andersen’s shoulder, and New York had a 1-0 lead. Not too long after, Aho was called for a penalty and the Canes had to survive the last two minutes of the first without two of their best penalty killers in Jordan Staal and Aho, but they did the job well enough to where the best chance was actually a 2-on-2 chance shot by Seth Jarvis. The Canes went into the first intermission down 1-0, and outchanced 17-12 despite having a 13-4 lead in shots. It would be the only penalty the Canes would take on the night.

The Canes started the second period on time, and after a short push by the Rangers Carolina found themselves on another Power Play. This time they were able to convert, before PA Voice Wade Minter was able to get the full read out. A faceoff win resulted with the puck on the stick of Shayne Gostisbehere, and he ripped a shot past Shesterkin to knot the game at one. It was Gostisbehere’s third goal on the year.

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The Canes would get two more Power Play opportunities in the period, and arguably should have had a short 5-on-3 as well as another one when a Ranger kicked a missing stick away from Andrei Svechnikov as the play was going toward the other end. The first unit continued to perform well, generating chances during the Power Plays but when the second unit stepped out on the ice, more time was spent on the other end. The failure to convert more—though coach Rod Brind’Amour after the game called the Power Play successful—would prove costly for Carolina.

Andersen didn’t see a lot of chances in the second but made some great stops until a minute left in the period. A face off in the zone created a set play that resulted in Artemi Panarin open in front of the net, and Gostisbehere was a hair late in getting to him. Panarin blasted a shot by Andersen and the Rangers went into the Second Intermission up 2-1. Shots were 24-13 for The Canes.

The third opened with a quick goal by former Cane Vincent Trocheck. The Hurricanes were in the midst of a change, and it looked like there was some miscommunication, allowing Trocheck to basically walk right up to Andersen and blast it right by him.

The Rangers tightened the screws for the first half of the third and the Canes were unable to generate anything. The action slogged along, until the first line was able to get a good push into the o-zone. Gostisbehere had some nifty stick work in the offensive zone, drawing Rangers to him, and he was able to whip a pass over to an open Seth Jarvis. Jarvis’ shot went roof on Shesterkin to bring the Canes back to within one with a little under ten minutes left. It would be Gostisbehere’s second point on the night.

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The Canes had a few chances as the period wore on but were unable to get anything else past Shesterkin. Will Cuylle added an empty netter with about 1:40 left, and while the Canes got one more chance on the Power Play with 1:07 left, they were unable to get even.

The Hurricanes will take Thanksgiving off and be back in action on Friday at 5 PM against Seth Jarvis’ home squad the Winnipeg Jets.

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/2010-1...game-recaps/52323/rangers-down-hurricanes-4-2

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Preview and Game Thread: Rangers at Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes will look to bounce back from a sluggish effort in a loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday as they return home to take on the New York Rangers in a Metropolitan Division showdown.

With the flu bug going through the locker room and captain Jordan Staal sidelined, the Hurricanes put forth one of their weakest efforts of the season as they fell to the Sabres 3-1.

Despite the loss, Carolina remains in first place in the Eastern Conference, as they’re the only team in the conference to reach the 30-point mark.

Their lead is quite small, however, as the entire conference except for Toronto and Buffalo is within six points of the Canes. That’s where the Rangers come in, as they are bringing up the rear of the Metro with an 11-11-2 record that still has them just six points behind the Hurricanes.

New York has excelled on the road this season while struggling massively at home, where the Hurricanes beat them 3-0 earlier this season in Pyotr Kochetkov’s first start of the year. That game marked the first goal scored by Nikolaj Ehlers in his Carolina career.

The up-and-down Rangers are playing much better structural hockey under new head coach Mike Sullivan than they’ve played in the past, but they’ve had trouble finding reliable scoring throughout their lineup. J.T. Miller and Alexis Lafreniere have been quite underwhelming in their production, with 12 points and 13 points so far respectively.

Adam Fox leads the group pin points from the blue line with 21, while Artemi Panarin has racked up 20 points in 24 games, and Mika Zibanejad is working on something of a bounce back season with 15 points in 24 contests.

We’re likely to see star goalie Igor Shesterkin between the pipes for the Blueshirts tonight, as this game is a big one for New York. Shesterkin is 8-8-2 on the year with a 2.50 goals against average and .909 save percentage.

Frederik Andersen looks like the guy for Carolina with Kochetkov back on the shelf. Andersen has gone quite some time without putting together a high-level start, and we’ll see if a familiar foe can get him back on track. The Dane is 10-6-3 with a .906 SV% in 19 career starts against the Rangers.

Head coach Rod Brind’Amour told North State Journal’s Cory Lavalette that Staal is doubtful for tonight’s game. There was some question around Miller’s status after he missed Tuesday’s practice, but he was in his usual spot at the morning skate. If he does play, it would be his first career game against his former team.

Here’s how to check out the action:

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Location: Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC

TV: FanDuel Sports Network

Streaming: FanDuel Sports App, ESPN+ out of market

Radio: 99.9 The Fan and affiliates

Odds: ML: CAR -200; PL: -1.5 +126

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/general/52315/carolina-hurricanes-new-york-rangers-nhl-game-preview

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Hurricanes storm past Winnipeg in Third, win 5-1

On the back of an explosive third period that saw Seth Jarvis score his second career hat trick and Brandon Bussi make twelve confident saves, the Carolina Hurricanes got back to their winning ways by defeating the Winnipeg Jets 5-1. The win ruined the NHL debut for Winnipeg goalie Thomas Milic, who was solid but couldn’t overcome the multiple waves the Canes put up in the third.

It’s Carolina’s first win since defeating these Jets last Friday up in Winnipeg, and it’s the Jets’ fourth straight loss, all since it was announced Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck will miss 4-6 weeks with a surgery. For the Canes it was their first win since Jordan Staal went down with an illness, as Stall missed his third straight game.

The first period started similar to Wednesday night, with up and down action, but before too long the Canes tilted the ice in their favor, testing the rookie Thomas Milic. He was up to the task early, as the Canes put up several good shots that Milic was able to see, and his defenders in front of him helped support to make the chances a little easier to see. That support helped keep the action in the Canes’ end, and resulted in two Power Plays for the Canes—both of which were empty. Both units though had chances, a significant improvement over Wednesday Night.

It was actually after Winnipeg’s first sustained offensive push of the night that Carolina was able to score. The Jets hemmed in the Canes’ third line for an extended period, getting a few shot attempts on starter Brandon Bussi, but the defense held strong. Once the Canes were finally able to push the puck out of the zone, the Aho line jumped on the ice and quickly pushed back, leading to to a behind the goal pass from Shayne Gostisbehere to Seth Jarvis at the left faceoff dot, who was able to get it past Milic for the first goal of the game.

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The Canes had a 10-5 shot advantage after one, and generally dominated play. It’s a credit to Milic that the score wasn’t worse for the Jets.

The Jets found their game in the second, dominating play and getting a power play when Andrei Svechnikov was called for an interference that really looked like a typical hip check. The kill succeeded, but the Jets kept the pressure on. Eventually, the Canes were able to get set up in the offensive zone but a bad pass by Svechnikov was intercepted by Gabriel Vilardi. Gostisbehere was the target of the pass—presumably—and dove to try and stop the exit, and was unsuccessful. The puck ended up on the stick of a rushing Mark Scheifele, who pushed it past Bussi at 10:41.

The rest of the period was back and forth as the teams traded unsuccessful Power Plays, and the period ended in a weird sequence that somehow saw two players for each side assessed matching roughing minors despite some clear instigation from Winnipeg. The Canes held the shot advantage that period 11-5 and 21-10 overall, but the action was a lot more even.

The floodgates eventually opened in the third. After the game multiple players and coach Rod Brind’Amour stated they needed to get back to their style in that period, and the ice tilted back towards the Winnipeg end. Bussi was called on to make a few saves—which he did confidently leading to the crowd chanting his name. Finally at 11:52 of the third Jordan Martinook broke the tie by shooting the puck instead of passing, which seemed to have infected the team for the first part of the period. The open shot from the faceoff dot blew past Milic and the Canes grabbed the lead for good at 2-1.

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Just forty seconds later, the Aho line stepped up for the bump up shift and went to work. They got back into the Winnipeg zone, and a good keep in by Svechnikov started a series that saw the puck on the stick of K’Andre Miller, who fed a perfect pass to an open Jarvis. Jarvis shot from near about the same place as Martinook, got it past Milic, and the Canes were up 3-1.

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Carolina would do an outstanding job for the rest of the period keeping the pressure on Winnipeg, forcing them to hold Milic in his net until just over two minutes remaining in the second. Sure enough, Svechnikov was able to make up for his earlier mistake by intercepting a pass himself, and rather than skate down the ice threw it off the board in front of the penalty box where a streaking Seth Jarvis gathered it and put it in the net for the hats to rain down on the ice.

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It was the second hat trick of Jarvis’ carrer, his 15th of the season in only 24 games, and as Ryan Henkel notes it took him 46 to get to that mark last season. For someone who wants to make a case to be on Team Canada, he’s doing it at the right time.

The Canes weren’t quite done, as Alexander Nikishin decided to showcase his boom by blasting a shot at the blue line with under a minute to go. The feed came off a great pass by Justin Robidas, and the shot went by Milic to get the game to the 5-1 final score.

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The Canes now will take the good vibes into the weekend as they host another Western Candian team on Sunday, this time the Calgary Flames. Face off for that will be at 5 PM, and the Canes are expected to practice at noon in Lenovo Saturday.

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/2010-1...rricanes-storm-past-winnipeg-in-third-win-5-1

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Hurricanes host Jets: Preview, Odds, How to Watch, Game Thread

***3PM update: Rod Brind’Amour confirms that Brandon Bussi will start and Jordan Staal will miss his third game with Illness***

What better way to celebrate the day after (American) Thanksgiving and the official start of the holiday season than some early evening hockey? The Carolina Hurricanes will take on the Winnipeg Jets in Raleigh at an earlier start time—5 PM—to continue a long homestand that started with a disappointing 4-2 loss against the New York Rangers on Wednesday night.

Is it possible that the multiple injuries and players sitting are starting to catch up to Carolina? The Canes are only 5-3-2 in their last ten, and 2-2-1 in their last five. They’re no longer at the top of the Metro Division. The good news is that tonight starts a stretch of very winnable games to allow the team to grab some momentum.

There is possible good news on the front of missing players, as the Canes held an optional practice on Thanksgiving. On the ice was Captain (Not General) Jordan Staal who had been taken out with a bug of some sort the last two games, and his presence had been missed. The 0-2 streak the Canes are on coincide with his missing games, and he was really missing in the faceoff dot on Thursday. At one point Sebastian Aho was 0-6 and the Hurricanes in general lost 54.1% of the faceoffs. In that optional skate, Jesperi Kotkaniemi was also out and working in a yellow sweater for the third consecutive day. However there was still no sign of Jaccob Slavin or Pyotr Kochetkov.

The Canes perhaps have a problem between the pipes as Freddie Andersen has not had the strongest start to the season. Anyone watching knows he didn’t necessarily cost Carolina the game—he made several key saves and on two of the goals he gave up the defensive miscues are more likely to blame—but there have also been multiple times when you’d want a goalie to make stops and he hasn’t. Perhaps the best way to describe the struggles of Andersen is in this state provided by Gary Marbry—who if you aren’t following his heavily stats-driven Substack, you should.

#Canes Freddie Andersen allowed 1+ "low danger" goals in 13 straight reg season games from Apr 13 thru Nov 19, the longest such streak of his career. His previous long was 8 (with TOR) and 5 as a Hurricane.

He allowed 0 LDG vs BUF (Sun) then 1 vs NYR (Wed).@albhood @AGoldFan pic.twitter.com/gfijsRC09z

— Gary M (@nuggetpalooza) November 28, 2025

The Canes don’t have a morning skate today, so we’ll see with Rod Brind’Amour’s media availability later in the day who is in and who is out for the team. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Brandon Bussi in net with the relatively short turnaround and still no sign of Kochetkov.

On the other side, the Jets are the last team the Canes were able to score a victory with a week ago. It was also Bussi’s last start, where he made 25 of 28 saves as the Canes came back from a one goal deficit in the first to win 4-3. The Jets have been struggling themselves, as last week’s game against the Canes was their first one since it was announced that Connor Hellebuyck will be sidelined due to a surgery. The Jets haven’t won since as they lost to both Minnesota at home and to Washington on the road. Tonight it’s expected that the Jets will let Thomas Milic make his NHL debut between the pipes. What’s funny as Mike McIntyre points out, Hellebuyck’s first ever start was also in Raleigh, although that came ten years ago against a slightly different roster.

The Jets also will be skipping the usual morning skate, but based on the report from McIntyre it appears the Jets were working for the rookie to make his debut. He’s 5-2 so far with a 2.14 GAA and .921 save percentage for Winnipeg’s AHL team, and with an unfamiliar goalie you never quite know what to expect. Having lost three straight and with the rookie netminder the Jets will likely have all hands on deck, but they also have a game tomorrow night in Nashville—apparently the NHL didn’t want to go for the funnier NAS CAR back-to-back—and this will be game two of a three games in four nights on the road situation. We’ll see what sort of focus the Jets have.

The Canes will be in their black sweaters tonight, and if you’re going to the game, note that hoodies and fleece will be 40% off at the team store. If you can’t make it, here’s how to catch the action.

Time: 5 PM

TV: FanDuel Sports Network. Mike Maniscalco will handle play-by-play alongside Tripp Tracy doing color. Hanna Yates and Shane Willis will provide off-ice reports as well as host pregame starting at 4:30 and postgame that will run for about 30 minutes after the conclusion.

Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network App for fans in the Carolinas. Outside of the area, the ESPN app has you covered as they have every out-of-market hockey game available to watch.

Radio: The pregame on 99.9 The Fan starts at 4:30. At 5PM the Hurricanes Radio Nework (consisting of 99.9, 730 The Game in Charlotte, ESPN New Bern 107.5/1490, and ESPN Greenville 107.5/1570) picks up the FDSN feed. You can also stream the call on the Hurricanes app.

Odds: Hurricanes -215 Moneyline, Puckline Hurricanes -1.5 (+112)/Jets +176 Moneyline, Puckline +1.5 (-138), O/U 6.5 (-110 either side)

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/caroli...st-jets-preview-odds-how-to-watch-game-thread

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Canes outlast Flames, 1-0, in overtime

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Calgary Flames, 1-0, Sunday evening at the Lenovo Center to notch two-straight wins for the first time since Nov. 9. With the win, the Canes move to 16-7-2, good for first place in the Metropolitan Division, overtaking the New Jersey Devils.

In a low shooting affair, the Carolina Hurricanes recorded only 17 shots on goal but it was Nikolaj Ehlers who recorded the game winning goal in overtime. Goaltender Brandon Bussi, who got the nod between the pipes for back-to-back games for the first time all season played well, stopping all 15 shots that came his way for the first shutout of his career.

The first period was back-and-forth, with both the Canes and Flames recording high-quality chances.

After whiffing on a shot from the blue line early in the first period, Shayne Gostisbehere made a huge defensive play, breaking up a chance for Calgary on a diving stick check.

Alexander Nikishin danced through Calgary’s defense with a little over a minute left in the period, but Cooley came up with the save.

The Canes outshot the Flames 6-3, but despite the chances, both teams remained scoreless after the first period.

A tripping on Calgary’s Adam Klapka at the 17:27 mark gave the Canes’s power play their first attempt of the game. The Canes were unable to capitalize though, recording no shots.

The Flames got a breakaway on a stretch pass off a defensive zone faceoff to Matt Coronato, who ripped the puck off the post.

Calgary got its first power play of the game when K’Andre Miller got called for interference at the 3:08 mark. Seth Jarvis was turned away on a breakaway by Cooley on the ensuing penalty kill.

Through two periods, the game was still knotted 0-0, but the Canes and Flames each had a ton of scoring chances, including multiple breakaways.

Four minutes into the third, Miller and Flames forward Nazem Kadri each got roughing penalties, putting both teams down a man for 4-on-4.

Coronato got loose on another breakaway, but Bussi stood tall again with a big glove save.

The offensive pressure stalled throughout much of the third period on both sides.

Jackson Blake got the puck on a platter in the slot, but fired it over the net with a little over five minutes left in the third.

A flurry of late chances by the Canes was not enough to find the back of the net. After a scoreless three periods from both teams, the game went to 3-on-3 overtime.

With just over two minutes remaining in OT, Taylor Hall found a cutting Ehlers, who made no mistake on a hard drive to the net. The win is Carolina’s second straight.

The Hurricanes will have a three-day long break, but will face the Toronto Maple Leafs next on Dec. 4 in the Lenovo Center at 7 PM.

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/2010-1...ps/52357/canes-outlast-flames-1-0-in-overtime

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Game Preview: Calgary Flames at Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes are back tonight with another home game against the Calgary Flames at 5 PM in the Lenovo Center with a chance at the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.

Friday’s 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets was a get-right game for the Canes, who before that had only won two of their last six. Seth Jarvis led the way with a hat trick, which puts him at 15 goals on the season.

Even with the recent struggles and injuries, Carolina sits just one point behind the New Jersey Devils for the top spot in the Metro. With the Devils losing to the Philadelphia Flyers last night, the Canes have a chance to take over as the top team in the division with a win tonight.

And that shouldn’t be too difficult against a Flames team that has the second-lowest points total in the NHL this season. The Flames have won four out of their last five, but still, it’s clear that Calgary is currently in the middle of a rebuild, allowing the perfect opportunity for the Canes to build some momentum and establish their first winning streak since their four game winning streak that spanned Nov. 4-Nov. 9.

The Flames are led offensively by Nazem Kadri, who, still at the age 35, is putting up solid numbers with a team-leading 21 points in 26 games this season. Rasmus Andersson highlights the defensive core, with 18 points in 26 games — a strong point total for a defenseman on a struggling team.

There’s not much else to say about Calgary outside of those two in terms of production from skaters.

Dustin Wolf, who led an impressive rookie goaltending campaign last year with a .910 save percentage and 2.81 GAA, has struggled so far to start the season. Wolf has a .890 save percentage this year to go along with a 3.33 GAA, a big drop off in terms of numbers. But with little support in front of him, it’s unclear how much of the blame should fall on the 24-year old goalie’s shoulders.

Backup Devin Cooley got the start in Calgary’s 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers on Friday, saving 37 of 40 shots. Cooley, in nine starts, has a .930 save percentage and 2.01 GAA. The Flames are still projected to have Wolf in net tonight, but it wouldn’t be surprising if they roll with the hot hand in Cooley.

For the Canes lineup tonight, there’s a solid chance Jordan Staal suits up tonight for the first time since Nov. 21.

All the rest should be about the same from Friday’s lineup against the Jets, including goaltender Brandon Bussi who could get the nod in net for the second straight game. In the win two days ago, Bussi stopped 12 of 13 shots that came his way.

This season, Bussi has posted a .899 save percentage and 2.57 GAA, winning six of his seven starts.

As the lineup starts to get healthier and find the same rhythm from early in the season, tonight’s game is a prime opportunity for the Canes to build some momentum and reclaim the throne on top of the Metro standings.

Here’s how to catch all the action tonight if you won’t be at the game:

Time: 5 PM ET

Location: Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC

Streaming: FanDuel Sports App, the ESPN app for out-of-market coverage

Radio: 99.9 The Fan FM

Line: ML: CAR -255; PL: -1.5 -105

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/caroli...preview-calgary-flames-at-carolina-hurricanes

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Maple Leafs @ Hurricanes – Preview and Game Thread

The Toronto Maple Leafs (12-11-3) are in town to face the Carolina Hurricanes (16-7-2) for an Eastern Conference matchup on Thursday night at the Lenovo Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 P.M.

The Canes have been off since their 1-0 overtime win over Calgary on Sunday night.

The time off seemed to have helped out the team’s walking wounded as everyone (but Miller) was on the ice for practice on Wednesday, albeit Jaccob Slavin, who was wearing a yellow, no contact jersey. Miller reportedly had the day off and is expected to play Thursday.

Before starting a stretch of three games in four days tomorrow, the #Canes are practicing at Lenovo Center again today.

K'Andre Miller has the day off.

Jaccob Slavin (lower-body injury) is working in a yellow no-contact sweater for a second straight day.

Pyotr Kochetkov… pic.twitter.com/kWTddihGZH

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 3, 2025

Fred Andersen was back in the starter’s crease, which is certain to cause some concern throughout the Caniac Nation.

Andersen has lost five games in a row and is currently sporting a 5-6-2 record with a GAA of 3.07 and a SV% of .878.

Pyotr Kochetkov, who has been injured but has returned to the ice, has a record of 4-0-0 with a GAA of 1.70 and SV% of .926.

Brandon Bussi, who has held the fort very well lately and who is coming off a 15 save shutout, was sharing the net with Kochetkov in the last practice.

Bussi has a 7-1-0 record with a GAA of 2.11 and a SV% of .908.

It seems like Brind’Amour will want to get Andersen back into the mix but as of this writing there has been no official announcement of who will start in net.

Speaking of Bussi, the Canes recently put out an excellent article discussing his emergence for Carolina.

https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/after-the-storm-bussi-making-stops-starting-strong-in-raleigh

While this has been his first chance for NHL action this season, he posted excellent numbers while in the AHL. Bussi played in 111 games with a 63-31-13 record and eight shutouts. He has a career AHL SV% of .915 and GAA of 2.62.

Look for an official announcement on who will start in goal for Carolina in the comments but it looks like Andersen right now. (I will be out of pocket on Thursday and will not be able to update personally.)

While the Hurricanes have 34 points and percentage wise, sit at first in the Metropolitan, the Leafs have 27 points, good for sixth place in the Atlantic.

Both teams have won two games in a row.

The Leafs are led by William Nylander who has 32 points in 22 games. Tavares and Knies follow with 29 and 26 points respectively.

Stolarz is on the IR, so look for Joseph Woll to start in net. Woll has a 3-3-1 record with a GAA of 2.53 and SV% of .924.

The game is slated to be shown on FanDuel locally.

The NHL has announced that the game between the #Canes and Maple Leafs on Thursday, December 4, at Lenovo Center will now have a 7 p.m. puck drop and will be aired on FanDuel Sports Network.

It had initially been slotted as a 7:30 p.m. start on ESPN+.https://t.co/q9EKvEoe8f

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) October 27, 2025

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/2010-1...aple-leafs-hurricanes-preview-and-game-thread

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

“No Spark Tonight” – Maple Leafs 5, Hurricanes 1

The Carolina Hurricanes blinked and fell behind early as the Toronto Maple Leafs scored on their very first shot of the game and the Canes went on to lose to the Leafs, 5-1 on Thursday night at the Lenovo Center.

Midway through the first, the puck took a weird bounce off the end boards, bounced out front to Scott Laughton, and that also ended up in the net to make it 2-0.

Fred Andersen was in net and Rod Brind’Amour stayed with the “bad luck” goalie while red hot Brandon Bussi stayed on the bench.

Andersen has now lost his last six starts. His stats dropped to a record of 5-7-2, a GAA of 3.15 and a SV% of .875.

The Canes made a game of it before the end of the period when Seth Jarvis buried a beautiful no-look pass by Shayne Gostisbehere, but that would be it for Carolina.

That gave Jarvis a team high 16 goals.

The Leafs scored twice more in the second period to take a commanding 4-1 lead and the home team was pretty much listless after that, or as Captain Jordan Staal said, “there was no spark tonight”.

Toronto would add an empty netter to finish things off. The good news is that most Carolina fans had left the building by this time and did not witness it.

While the goals against Andersen could be described as just “bad luck”, other goalies are making some saves on those weird bounces and odd man rushes.

Perhaps it’s time to start with a “good luck” goalie?

The Canes will hold a practice on Friday to help prepare for a back-to-back scenario this weekend against the Predators and Blue Jackets.

Game Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/GS020431.HTM

Event Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/ES020431.HTM

Postgame notes and interviews from Carolina's 5-1 loss to the Maple Leafs on Thursday:https://t.co/d8bMnZaBYg

The Hurricanes will practice at 12pm at Invisalign Arena on Friday.

— Hurricanes PR (@CanesPR) December 5, 2025

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/2010-1...9/no-spark-tonight-maple-leafs-5-hurricanes-1

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Game Preview: Carolina vs. Nashville

Tonight at the Lenovo Center, a Major League Baseball expansion team proxy war will take place between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Nashville Predators.

Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon has expressed a strong interest in bringing the MLB to Raleigh. With the backing of Dundon, other local investors, and an influential grassroots group, the City of Oaks is a major contender for a new professional baseball team.

Which city, however, is most often predicted to land that new team? Nashville.

Baseball is a topic far from the minds of the players on the ice. And after the recent play of the Hurricanes, the team does not need any more distractions. Carolina needs a reset amid an advantageous stretch of the schedule.

The Canes are in game five of a seven-game homestand and have secured just two wins during this time. All seven opponents are currently outside of a playoff spot. Carolina must finish these home games strong and have a positive point differential at the conclusion of this stretch.

Nashville has struggled this season, ranking 28th in team defense with 3.48 goals allowed per game and 28th in offense at 2.59 goals per game. The Predators are near the bottom of the league standings, ranking 30th with just 24 points in 27 games.

However, Nashville has played well in the past week and a half, winning four of the last five games, including an overtime thriller on Thursday night against Florida.

Despite their losing record, the Preds have a 54.0% xGF percentage (Expected Goals-For percentage) at five-on-five, suggesting they have been unlucky rather than bad, controlling the play but failing to finish.

Ryan O’Reilly leads the team with 21 points, and his nine goals are tied with Filip Forsberg for the team lead. The veteran has been the catalyst for their recent turnaround, posting eight points in his last five games.

O’Reilly, Forsberg, and Luke Evangelista have been the line that has produced the best numbers all season for Nashville. However, this trio has recently been broken up by Head Coach Andrew Brunette in favor of new combinations to spread the scoring.

In the last week, Brunette has shifted Steven Stamkos to the top line, bumping Forsberg to a line with Erik Haula a Finnish winger. Evangelista leads the team in assists and is there to feed O’Reilly and Stamkos.

Captain Roman Josi missed 12 games with an upper-body injury. In the seven games since his return on November 22, he has tallied a goal and four assists. It is good to see the veteran improving after suffering a career-threatening concussion last February.

Former Hurricane Brady Skjei has not produced for the Predators this season. He has just six points and is a -15 on the season, and has not logged a point since November 14.

The overall numbers show that Nashville is having issues on defense. But the advanced stats illustrate a more complex picture.

According to MoneyPuck and Natural Stat Trick models, Nashville’s Expected Goals Against (xGA) suggests they should be a middle-of-the-pack defensive team. The Predators rank in the top 10 in shots allowed per game, demonstrating that they can limit volume. However, there is a massive negative differential of 15 goals between expected goals allowed and actual goals allowed.

A reason for this is the high danger chances allowed by the Predators. Opposing teams are shooting roughly 12.4 percent on high-danger chances against Nashville, compared to a league average of 8.6 percent.

Juuse Saros has struggled with high-danger shots. According to NHL EDGE data, Saros ranks in the bottom 50th percentile for High-Danger Save Percentage at .800 percent. If the Nashville defense makes a mistake, Saros is not always there to bail them out.

Last season, Saros finished the year with a .896 save percentage, the worst of his career. This has continued this season with a 2.86 goals against average and a .897 save percentage. This is a sharp drop-off from when he was competing for the Vezina Trophy between 2021 and 2024.

---

The injury and illness bugs have had their way with the Hurricanes this season, but there is still hockey to be played.

The most glaring issue for Carolina right now is an inability to convert possession into goals. The Canes have scored just one regulation goal in their last two games.

Against Calgary, the Hurricanes generated only 17 shots on goal in a game that went to overtime against a rookie goaltender. Carolina was passing up Grade-A scoring chances in favor of extra passes.

Despite generating more chances and hitting some posts, the Canes just could not finish against Toronto. After the game, head coach Rod Brind’Amour said that the team is “fighting it” offensively.

And special teams are not helping. Carolina has not scored in its last eight chances on the man advantage. With Nashville boasting a top 10 penalty kill, this 10-day power play drought could continue.

Despite the offensive struggles, there has been good shot suppression in recent games. In the last three games, Carolina has allowed an average of just 15.6 shots on goal per game. Even with goaltending questions, allowing fewer than 20 shots significantly increases the probability of winning. This can help in slowing down the recent uptick in Nashville’s offensive production.

While the rest of the team is gripping the stick a bit too tightly, Seth Jarvis has been the lone finisher. He has five goals in the last four games and is tied for 10th in the NHL with 16 goals.

On the illness and injury front, K’Andre Miller missed the game against Toronto, but skated with Sean Walker in yesterday’s practice. Jesperi Kotkaniemi was a full participant in yesterday’s practice as well.

Pyotr Kochetkov was back at practice, and the Hurricanes will likely have all three goalies available. There is no morning skate today, so stay tuned for tonight’s starter.

---

Here’s how to check out the action:

Time: 7:00 PM ET
Location: Lenovo Center – Raleigh, NC
TV: FanDuel Sports Network with Mike Maniscalco, play-by-play; Tripp Tracy, color analyst; Shane Willis, analyst; Hannah Yates, rinkside.
Radio: 99.9 The Fan FM
Line: ML: CAR -238; PL: CAR -1.5 +110

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/caroli...es-vs-nashville-predators-nhl-december-6-2025

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Canes Dominate Preds, Win 6-3

Through 45 minutes of game time, the Carolina Hurricanes played nearly perfect hockey.

This is not to say that every play on the ice was perfect, but the unit played with cohesion and supported each other well.

Despite a last 15 minutes that saw the Canes take their feet off the gas and allow three goals, tonight’s win was something this team needed. Areas of recent struggle, like the power play or getting big-time saves, were not seen tonight.

Let’s hope the team that took the ice tonight can finish out this homestand strong.

---

Carolina was ready from the opening whistle. It was a noticeably different jump from the Canes tonight than in recent games.

The Hurricanes’ hard work through the opening minutes was rewarded with a power play.

In the first man advantage of the game, four Canes crashed the net, and each collapsed on the crease. Taylor Hall tipped a Jackson Blake shot, and Carolina was on the board just eight minutes into the game.

View Link

Alexander Nikishin’s clean hit on Matthew Wood drew the ire of Reid Schaefer, and the Hurricanes were back on the power play.

ALEXANDER NIKISHIN pic.twitter.com/mSj0toxFDv

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) December 7, 2025

Good board play by the Canes forced a delay of game penalty on the Predators, and the home team now had a five-on-three for less than 30 seconds.

A great keep-in by Shayne Gostisbehere kept the big advantage alive. He got it to Seth Jarvis, who faked the shot, settled the puck, went cross ice to Nikolaj Ehlers, and his one timer found the back of the net to capitalize on the five-on-three.

View Link

Even with a two-goal lead built by two power play goals, the Canes kept pushing as the first came to a close. William Carrier out-muscled and out-hustled Roman Josi in the corner, brought it back to the front, and shelfed it short side with just 16 seconds left in the period.

View Link

A three-goal lead and a 19-5 shot advantage had the Canes looking like the best version of this team.

Nashville had just four shots in the first, but two of those were excellent chances. Even with a light workload, Brandon Bussi had to stay sharp.

But his time would come in the second.

The Predators had seven shots in the second, but it seemed as though each was a quality chance. Bussi came up with each save, including a few highlight reel stops.

Brandon Bussi! Again!

This time, he robs Spencer Stastney and Fedor Svechkov with a one-two combo of pad stops. pic.twitter.com/lBkjCky9hT

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 7, 2025

The Bus with the stop pic.twitter.com/hGvzksF6qD

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) December 7, 2025

It's Brandon Bussi's world right now, and we are all just living in it. pic.twitter.com/81U9bE8AGl

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 7, 2025

The Hurricanes continued to attack, and with about four minutes left in the second period, Ehlers made space in the middle while Blake put the puck on a string and put it top shelf on the backhand to make it 4-0.

At the end of two, Carolina was up four with a 33-11 shot advantage.

Five minutes into the third, Jordan Martinook blocked a shot, and Sebastian Aho poked it away from two Predators to spring a breakaway. Aho sniped it below Juuse Saros’s glove and made it 5-0.

View Link

Blake was called for interference soon after the Aho goal. A sharp-angle one-timer on the power play spoiled Bussi’s shutout bid at 6:30 into the third.

Less than two minutes later, Logan Stankhoven forced a turnover in the neutral zone and had a two-on-one with Blake. Blake went to the net, gathered the rebound, and ran off Saros with the sixth Carolina goal of the evening.

View Link

At this point in the game, head coach Rod Brind’Amour is not pleased.

The Hurricanes were not skating as hard and had blown assignments that led to two Nashville goals and a couple more chances down the stretch.

Carolina had a breakdown on defense, allowing Matthew Wood to be all alone in front of Bussi with plenty of time for a between-the-legs top-shelf wrister.

Two and a half minutes later, once again, a delay on the defensive rotation allowed for an easy tip-in off the leg of Filip Forsberg to bring Nashville back within three. The Preds almost scored off the ensuing faceoff.

Even with this late push, the Canes finished with a dominant 6-3 victory.

Blaker and Ehlers finished with three points each, while Carolina’s scoring depth was on display with nine other Canes tallying a point.

The defensive breakdowns cost Bussi a good statistical evening, but he earned a third star with his stellar play through most of the game.

---

1st Period
Taylor Hall (6), PPG; J. Blake (10), L. Stankoven (7)

Nikolaj Ehlers (6), PPG; S. Jarvis (8), S. Gostisbehere (17)

William Carrier (2); J. Martinook (7), J. Staal (3)

2nd Period
Jackson Blake (7); N. Ehlers (12), K. Miller (10)

3rd Period
Sebastian Aho (9); Unassisted

Michael Bunting (7), PPG; L. Evangelista (15), E. Haula (12)

Jackson Blake (8); N. Ehlers (13)

Matthew Wood (8); F. Forsberg (9), B. Skjei (7)

Filip Forsberg (10); N. Blankenburg (8), S. Stastney (8)

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/2010-1...s-canes-dominate-nashville-predatorss-win-6-3

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Hurricanes vs. Sharks: Preview, How to Watch, Game Thread

Yes, we just did this but it was so fun why not jump back in?

The Canes are right back in action this evening as they welcome the San Jose Sharks into Raleighwood for a game that will also serve as the beginning of sorts to the Canes’ celebration of their Stanley Cup win 20 years ago. If Saturday Night was the precursor to the celebration, the next two days should be fun.

All eyes will be on the crease for the Canes to see who gets the start. It obviously won’t be Brandon Bussi—but it’s pretty clear now that he’s going to be with the team for a while as he’s won eight of nine appearances, becoming only the eighth goaltender to do so. How long this bus ride lasts, who knows? Looking back on some of his saves on Saturday it looks as if more than a few were of the “Nashville missed” than the “Bussi saved” variety, however, he also made saves when called on and that’s something that Frederik Andersen hasn’t been able to say for the majority of the season. Of the three goalies, Andersen has been the weakest so far. Will he get another chance today, or will Pyotr Kochetkov be healthy enough to get the start? As he was a full participant in practice on Friday it’s clear he’s close to returning.

On the other side of the ice is the Sharks. A team that many thought would be battling for yet another high draft pick has turned into a squad that is actually competing for the playoffs, if not a division title. The Canes opened the State Fair Road Trip with a 5-1 win over these Sharks back in October, but this team has fought hard since. They stand just two points out of a wild card spot, four points out of third in the Pacific, and six points away from the division leading…Anaheim Ducks.

They are doing this thanks to some exciting play by their youth, and former Hurricane Dmitri Orlov anchoring the defense. The Sharks have cooled off recently, though. They were blown out by Washington 7-1 at home, and then were kicked by Dallas 4-1 on Friday. They got the chance to watch the Canes in Raleigh last night, and no doubt they want to turn their fortunes around as they travel on to Philadelphia, Toronto, and Pittsburgh later this week.

Yes, the NHL schedulers had them go to Philly, Toronto, and Pittsburgh. Seriously does anyone check their work?

The player to watch for the Sharks, is of course 19 year-old phenom Macklin Celebrini. He hasn’t scored a goal in six games, and was held without a point in the last two blowout losses. Still, he’s leading the team in points and is a huge reason for optimism in the Bay Area. He’s clearly showing signs as being the star of the future, and it’ll be interesting to see which line Rod Brind’Amour chooses to match up with the youngster. With 40 points, he’s ahead of the next highest scorer Will Smith by 13, and he has 14 goals already—only Seth Jarvis has more for the Canes.

On the 20th Anniversary front, the Canes are rolling out the celebration. To prepare you for it, and if you haven’t seen it, check out this video they posted on Twitter/X:

Ready to relive the magic pic.twitter.com/B1PK5e6hbn

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) December 7, 2025

Also, as can be expected not every member of the Hurricanes on that team will be able to make it this week. Brind’Amour, of course is coaching and Kevyn Adams is busy trying to save his job in Buffalo. One interesting name that The News and Observer’s Luke DeCock was able to catch up with: Anton Babchuck. His is a story that reminds us that as much as we want to use sports as an escape, the real world still intercedes. Check it out if you haven’t.

If you aren’t going to Lenovo today, here’s how to catch the action:

Time: 5 PM

TV: FanDuel Sports Network. Mike Maniscalco will handle play-by-play alongside Tripp Tracy doing color. Hanna Yates and Shane Willis will provide off-ice reports as well as host pregame starting at 4:30 and postgame that will run for about 30 minutes after the conclusion.

Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network App for fans in the Carolinas. Outside of the area, the ESPN app has you covered, it typically has every out-of-market game except those that have been chosen to be on NHL Network.

Radio: The pregame on 99.9 The Fan starts at 4:30. At 5PM the Hurricanes Radio Network (consisting of 99.9, 730 The Game in Charlotte, ESPN New Bern 107.5/1490, and ESPN Greenville 107.5/1570) picks up the FDSN feed. You can also stream the call on the Hurricanes app.

Odds: Hurricanes -320 Moneyline, Puckline Hurricanes -1.5 at -132/Jets +255 Moneyline, Puckline +1.5 at +108, O/U 6.5 (+100 Over/-122 Under)

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/caroli...es-vs-sharks-preview-how-to-watch-game-thread

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Sharks 4, Hurricanes 1

The Carolina Hurricanes came out flat again in this homestand and fell to the San Jose Sharks, 4-1 on Sunday night at the Lenovo Center.

The team is now 3-3 during this homestand with one more game on Tuesday night, that one against Columbus.

Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour called his team’s performance and effort, “embarrassing”.

(Interviews) – https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/28ud...zn1msblorymdalqnbwviny7u&e=1&st=t72d4fho&dl=0

The visitors got on the scoreboard quickly, just 33 seconds into the game as the Hurricanes seemed a step behind to start things off.

The home team did tie the game later in the first period when Jordan Staal tipped in a Shayne Gostisbehere shot on a powerplay opportunity.

But the Sharks scored twice in the second period to take a 3-1 lead and then ended the game with an empty net tally.

Pyotr Kochetkov, who returned from injury to play in this game, allowed three goals on 21 shots.

His season record dropped to 4-1-0 with a GAA of 1.96 and a SV% of .914.

19 year-old, Macklin Celebrini looked as good as advertised as he led his team with a goal and two assists.

During the broadcast, there were several interviews and much in depth discussion regarding the 2006 Stanley Cup win and they seemed to cover the game as an after thought at times. But it would seem that this would be a good game for that to happen.

The Canes had a tough time generating any type of consistent offensive pressure throughout and looked a bit tired. It was their third game in four nights.

They will take Monday off then have a morning skate for the game on Tuesday.

Game Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/GS020455.HTM

Event Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/ES020455.HTM

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/2010-11-carolina-hurricanes-game-recaps/52414/sharks-4-hurricanes-1

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Blue Jackets @ Hurricanes – Preview and Game Thread

The Carolina Hurricanes (17-9-2) will close out their recent seven game homestand tonight with a tilt against the Columbus Blue Jackets, (13-10-6).

Game time is 7:30 P.M. and it will be televised by ESPN+.

So far the team is 3-3 as they have provided their home fans at times with some uninspired hockey.

Overall, they are three points behind the first place Washington Capitals and four points in front of the last place Jackets.

According to reports on “X”, Brandon Bussi will be back in net for the home team.

Bussi in the starter’s crease

— Cory Lavalette (@CoryLavalette) December 9, 2025

Bussi has been nothing short of reliable and he is sporting an 8-1-0 record since being acquired from the waiver wire. He also has a respectable GAA of 2.21 and a save percentage of .903.

Walt is also reporting that the jumbled lines from the third period of the game against San Jose are back to normal today.

The #Canes close out a season-long seven-game home stretch tonight against the Blue Jackets.

Brandon Bussi is in the starter's net at morning skate.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi is not skating.

Joel Nystrom appears set to draw back in. Jaccob Slavin remains working on the extra pair.… pic.twitter.com/Tc8Ue5Vzt0

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 9, 2025

Jesperi Kotkaniemi was not on the ice and was being replaced by Mark Jankowski.

While Jaccob Slavin was on the ice at the morning skate, he is not expected to return to action tonight.

Sebastian Aho leads the team with 26 points in 28 games. Seth Jarvis has a team best 16 goals to go with his 24 points.

Columbus is 3-3-4 in their last 10 games.

Zach Werenski leads them in scoring with 9 goals and 30 points in 29 games played.

Next up is Karill Marchenko who has 24 points in 25 games.

Tonight will be the last game for the franchise to celebrate their 2006 Stanley Cup win.

The team will offer fans the ability to take pictures with the Cup starting at 4 P.M. They will have a pregame ceremony starting at 7.

Team Preview – https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/preview-december-9-vs-columbus

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/caroli...ue-jackets-hurricanes-preview-and-game-thread

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

The “Bus” Wins Again – Hurricanes 4, Blue Jackets 1

Goaltender, Brandon Bussi, won his seventh game in a row and his ninth in 10 career NHL games as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-1 on Tuesday night at the Lenovo Center.

Bussi says he is just taking everything one game at a time, but he is just the fifth goalie in NHL history to win nine of his first ten games.

The netminder made 23 saves on 24 shots and improved his stats to 9-1-0, with a GAA 2.09 and SV% of .909.

After falling behind 1-0 in the first period, the Canes tied things up in the second when Andrei Svechnikov stole the puck and fed Seth Jarvis, who made no mistake.

In the third period, Taylor Hall took a nice pass from Joel Nystrom who had just stolen the puck, and fed a streaking Eric Robinson, who roofed in his shot to make it 2-1.

The Hurricanes then scored on a powerplay when Jordan Staal tipped in a shot from the point by Svechnikov.

Staal, who was recently put on the powerplay to help win more faceoffs, is earning more time by using his skill in front of the net. One might wonder, why didn’t they try this earlier?

Jordan Martinook scored into an empty net to close things out.

Head Coach, Rod Brind’Amour, was happy with the game afterward.

“The whole game, I thought, was good. Obviously, we got behind, but we just kept playing. Everyone contributed tonight.“

Interviews – https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/79b0...7jr7h0e7u2i78ftad682&subfolder_nav_tracking=1

The Canes finished this homestand with 4-3 record.

Next up will be a trip up I95 to take on the red hot and first place Capitals.

Game Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/GS020471.HTM

Event Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/ES020471.HTM

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/2010-1...he-bus-wins-again-hurricanes-4-blue-jackets-1

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Hurricanes @ Capitals – Preview and Game Thread

The Carolina Hurricanes (18-9-2) take on the Washington Capitals (18-9-3) tonight in a battle for first place in the Metro and the East. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 P.M. and the game will be televised by the FanDuel Sports Network.

While the Canes are coming off a mediocre seven game home stand, (4-3-0), the Caps are red hot and have earned points in 11 of their last 12 games, (10-1-1).

Washington goalie, Logan Thompson, has a 5-0-1 record in his last six games and has a .955 save percentage over that span.

Tom Wilson leads the team in scoring with 17 goals and 32 points in 30 games. Alex Ovechkin is next with 14 goals and 29 points.

Defenseman Jakob Chychrun is having a great year and is right up there with 25 points.

Walt Ruff is reporting from Washington that Brandon Bussi is in the starter’s crease at the morning skate. Bussi is 9-1-0 in his 10 career NHL games. It seems that Brind’Amour is starting to put more trust in the waiver wire pickup.

Ruff is also reporting that Carrier is not on the ice this morning but Kotkaniemi is.

((UPDATE – Brind’Amour said after the skate that Carrier should play tonight)).

(Click “show more” to see the lines)

The top two teams in the Metro clash tonight in D.C. as the #Canes take on the Caps.

Brandon Bussi is once again in the starter's crease at morning skate.

Will Carrier is not on the ice to start the day. Jesperi Kotkaniemi is filling his spot next to the Jordans.

Jaccob… pic.twitter.com/JpQIZ2RCKP

— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 11, 2025

It should be a good one tonight. See you on the “open thread” below.

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/caroli...1/hurricanes-capitals-preview-and-game-thread

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

“Magic Bus” – Hurricanes 3, Capitals 2 – SO

Brandon Bussi kept his winning streak alive and his magical season ongoing as he backstopped the Carolina Hurricanes to 3 -2 shootout win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night at our Nation’s Capital.

It was Bussi’s eighth win in a row and his 10th win in his first 11 NHL games, which is an NHL record.

In his first ever NHL shootout appearance, he stopped all the Capitals’ shooters. Overall, he made 23 saves on the 25 shots he faced.

Seth Jarvis scored the only goal in the skills competition to give his team the two points.

The Canes had to come from behind twice in this game as they fell behind 1-0 early in the second, then 2-1 in the third.

After the Canes had dominated most of the period, while hitting the post three times on various shots, Nikolaj Ehlers tied the game later in the second to make it 1-1. Logan Stankoven and Alexander Nikishin got the assists.

This might have been the best game Ehlers played as a Hurricane. He was all over the ice.

Jordan Martinook and Nic Dowd dropped the gloves right off the faceoff to start the third period although no damage was done, then Dowd would give the home team a 2-1 lead midway through the period.

With a bit over two minutes left in the game, Ehlers found Stankoven out front and the new second line center rifled in his shot to make the score, 2-2.

The score remained tied until overtime where the Canes looked out of synch as they managed zero shots on goal. Bussi stopped the three shots he faced in the extra period.

Next up came the shootout, which has not been a good thing for Carolina in the past.

But Bussi continued his strong play and all the Canes needed was a nifty move by Jarvis, who made a triple fake to guide the puck past Logan Thompson.

The Hurricanes outshot the Caps 39-25 and won 65% of the game’s faceoffs.

The Canes will make a short trip to Philadelphia for the first game of a back-to-back on Saturday night with the Flyers.

Game Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/GS020485.HTM

Event Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/ES020485.HTM

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/2010-1...ps/52436/magic-bus-hurricanes-3-capitals-2-so

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Game Preview and Thread: Carolina Hurricanes at Philadelphia Flyers

The Carolina Hurricanes (19-9-2) are set to take on the Philadelphia Flyers (16-9-4) at Xfinity Mobile Arena at 7 PM in the first of a home-and-home between the two teams. The Canes are on a roll as of late, winning five of their last seven games, including a shootout victory over the Capitals on Thursday to hold a share of the Metropolitan Division lead.

Goaltender Brandon Bussi, who has started in each of five wins over that stretch — and neither of the losses, has been the highlight of the streak.

Entering Saturday’s tilt with the Flyers, the Canes are looking to continue that hot streak against a team that has surprised many.

After finishing last in the Metro in 2024-25, the Flyers are currently in fourth with 36 points in 29 games this season. New head coach Rick Tocchet has seemingly breathed new life into the young Flyers and has them rolling. The past couple games have been a bit of a rough stretch though, with Philly dropping three of their last five — albeit to some top contenders out West in the Colorado Avalanche and Las Vegas Golden Knights.

Leading the way for Philly is Trevor Zegras, who has 28 points in 29 games this season. Zegras is enjoying somewhat of a resurgence with the Flyers, after being traded over from the Anaheim Ducks in the offseason. Travis Konecny is second on the team in points with 25, and although his goal scoring numbers are down from a season ago, the right winger is still a dynamic player for Philadelphia.

Matvei Michkov is another player to look out for, even though the highly touted seventh overall pick from the 2023 draft is in a little bit of a sophomore slump with only 16 points in 29 games.

As for the defense, the Flyers boast a solid, but not spectacular core. Travis Sanheim is the most notable name, with the ninth year veteran tallying 13 points this year.

In net, Philadelphia has goaltender Dan Vladar, who came over from Calgary in the offseason on a two-year deal. Vladar has been very solid for the Flyers, posting a 2.52 GAA and .906 save percentage in 18 games.

The Canes have appeared to weather much of the injury-bug that plagued them for a lot of November, but still could be without star defenseman Jaccob Slavin tonight. Slavin hasn’t suited up since the second game of the year, which was against the Flyers on Oct. 11.

There was no morning skate to see who will assume the pipes tonight, but it’s hard to see the Canes going away from Bussi in the first game of a back-to-back, especially with the start to the season he’s had.

All things considered, getting a win on the road against a tough, young Flyers team tonight will be critical for the Canes in the race for the Metro.

Time: 7 PM

TV: FanDuel Sports Network

Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network App/ESPN

Radio: 99.9 The Fan

Odds: Hurricanes -166 Moneyline, Hurricanes -1.5 at +146

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/caroli...ad-carolina-hurricanes-at-philadelphia-flyers

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Jackson Blake and the second line come up big in Hurricanes shootout win over the Flyers

PHILADELPHIA — On Saturday night, with the first of back-to-back games against the Philadelphia Flyers on the line, Rod Brind’Amour and Jeff Daniels called Jackson Blake’s number in the fourth round of the shootout.

The two just had a feeling it was the right call, despite the 22-year old being 0-for-3 in his young career in shootouts before Saturday.

The decision ended up being the right one, with Blake finding the back of the net on a beautiful backhand-to-forehand deke. It was a move that Seth Jarvis said after the game only a couple of guys could pull off.

“To get that one feels pretty good,” Blake said. “I think maybe got a little lucky with getting him to bite there, but happy it went in and happy we got the win off that.”

Blake made his presence known all night as a key component of the Hurricanes’ second line that consistently generated offensive pressure. The Canes leaned on the combination of Blake, Nikolaj Ehlers and Logan Stankoven to get the offense rolling in the 4-3 shootout win over the Flyers on Saturday.

“That was the best line for us,” Brind’Amour said after the win. “We were a little flat and then they came out and got the goal. And really all night they were all around, generating some good looks.”

After going down 2-0 in the first period, the Canes knew they had to show more fight in the second. According to Brind’Amour, it was the little things in the opening period that plagued them.

The Hurricanes fixed those issues coming out of the break, led by the second line. Shayne Gostisbehere found Ehlers who buried the shot for Carolina’s first of the night nine minutes into the second.

“To battle back like that was huge,” Jarvis said.

From there, the entire team began to pick up the play. And every time the second line was on the ice, it seemed like they were producing good looks and sustaining offensive zone time.

While Ehlers was the only one to record a point of the three, they combined for seven of the team’s 21 shots — Ehlers had two, Blake had two and Stankoven had three. It should be only a matter of time until the points start piling up.

It’s also a good sign that the Canes were able to mount a comeback without the first line of Jarvis, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov doing all the work on offense. Carolina’s depth performed well and stepped up, and it looks like the second line poses a real problem for opponents.

While the Canes may not have envisioned before the year that their prized, $8.5 million AAV free-agent pickup would be on the second line, Ehlers has started to flourish next to the young guys in Blake and Stankoven. After not having a goal in the first 11 games this season, the former Winnipeg Jet has tallied eight in the last 20, including one in each of the past two. Utilizing and getting the most out of Ehlers on that second line opens up a lot and takes pressure off of Jarvis, Aho and Svechnikov.

After Saturday, a little over 33 percent of the team’s goals have come from the three guys on the top line while the second line has produced a little over 21 percent of the scoring.

Closing that gap a little bit and having a true 1-2 punch will do wonders for the Canes who are looking to get over the hump come playoff time.

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/2010-1...ig-in-hurricanes-shootout-win-over-the-flyers

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

Canes Host Flyers in Second Half of Home-and-Home

If a divisional game is a four-point matchup, then back-to-back, home-and-home divisional games are worth eight points in the standings.

This is certainly true when looking at the Metropolitan Division right now.

All eight Metro teams were in action last night, and all but Columbus secured at least one point in the standings.

The shootout winner by Jackson Blake gave the Carolina Hurricanes the critical winner’s point and sole possession of the top spot in the division.

But by earning a point last night, Philadelphia moved to the top spot in the Eastern Wild Card. To demonstrate how competitive it is in the Metro, Philly has the eighth-best points percentage in the NHL and is still looking up at three divisional opponents.

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There were two major factors from last night’s game to watch during this evening’s game. First, the Flyers started the game strong, especially with shots and possession. Philly outshot Carolina in both the first and second periods, but the tide shifted during the second. The Canes started to find their game, spurred by their second line of Blake, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Logan Stankoven, generating the bulk of the shot attempts to erase the deficit.

The other factor was the blocked shots. The Flyers are averaging 14.7 blocks per game this season. Last night, the team had 21.

It was evident that Philadelphia had this in their game plan, but it was also part of reacting to Carolina’s improvement as the game progressed. In the second period, as the Canes were ramping up their play, Philly blocked nine shots. In the third period, the Flyers blocked seven Hurricanes shots while only putting two on net themselves.

A fast start will be key for both teams, but certainly the one on the road and coming off a loss. The Canes have allowed the first goal in eight of the last 13 games and must find a way to start bucking that trend. The Hurricanes are the top Corsi team in the NHL and had just 21 shots last night, the second fewest in a game this season.

For the Flyers, the player to watch must be Bobby Brink. The third-year winger has scored a goal in each game against the Canes this season, accounting for a quarter of his goal-scoring production this season.

Trevor Zegras’s resurgence is plainly evident. With his goal last night, Zegras matched his season total from last year, and his two-point night puts him at 30 points in 30 games. He has one goal and two assists in the first two games versus Carolina this season.

Zegras, Travis Konecny, and Christian Dvorak were a noticeable trio on the ice and will once again be a focal point for the Canes’ defense. Last night, the Flyers were able to get favorable matchups for their top line. Today on home ice, expect the Jordan Staal line to get the shutdown assignment.

In the opposing crease, Dan Vladar should get the nod for Philly. In 18 games this season, the Czech goalie has 11 wins, and has posted a 2.52 goals against average and a .906 save percentage. Vladar has won five of his last seven games.

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In the postgame press conference, head coach Rod Brind’Amour said that after the first Flyers goal, he “liked the majority of that game.” This might not make sense at first glance, given the Canes had just 21 shots and were scoreless on two power play attempts.

But finding a new way to win, especially after a two-goal deficit, says much about this team.

Brind’Amour’s emphasis today must be returning to form for the full 60 minutes. Today is a quick stop in Raleigh between road games. After two in Washington and Philadelphia, the Hurricanes travel to Nashville, Tampa Bay, and Miami over the next week.

Former Flyer Shayne Gostisbehere had a great game last night, and he continues to impress this season. With two assists last night, Gostisbehere is now more than halfway to his points total from last season, and has done so in just 22 games.

Seth Jarvis’s third period goal last night puts him back on the NHL front page leaderboard, tied for seventh in the league in goals.

Despite still being tied for the team lead in points, Sebastian Aho has not tallied a point in the last four games and has just two points in the previous six.

Aho was all over the ice during the third period and had a couple of setups for Jarvis in the third and overtime. It feels as though his time is coming, so keep an eye on the alternate captain tonight.

The Hurricanes announced there will be no morning skate, and Brind’Amour will be available to the media at 2:45 PM. Stay tuned for Carolina’s starting goaltender.

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Here’s how to check out the action:

Time: 5:00 PM ET
Location: Lenovo Center – Raleigh, NC
TV: FanDuel Sports Network with Mike Maniscalco, play-by-play; Tripp Tracy, color analyst; Shane Willis, analyst; Hannah Yates, rinkside.
Radio: 99.9 The Fan FM
Line: ML: CAR -250; PL: CAR -1.5 +110

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/caroli...ia-flyers-in-second-half-of-home-and-home-nhl

 

[Carolina Hurricanes]

“The Bus” Keeps Rolling – Hurricanes 3, Flyers 2 – SO

The Carolina Hurricanes won their third straight shootout game as they outlasted the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2 on Sunday night at the Lenovo Center.

The win allowed Carolina to sweep the back-to-back and home-and-home series.

The Canes now have a 21-9-2 record as they sit three points ahead of the second place New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division as well as the Eastern Conference.

They have won four games in a row and seven of their last 10.

Goaltender Brandon Bussi won his ninth straight game and improved his overall record to 11-1-0 which now makes him the first goalie in NHL history to win 11 games out of his first 12 career starts.

The former waiver wire pickup made 24 saves on 26 shots and made another three saves he faced in the shootout.

Overall, his stat sheet is now, 11-1-0, GAA 2.05 and SV% .911.

Will Carrier opened the scoring for the home team just five minutes and change into the game.

Later in the period, Taylor Hall tipped in an Alexander Nikishin shot during a powerplay to make it 2-0.

The Canes dominated that period as they outshot the Flyers, 14-4.

With less than a minute in the opening stanza, Carrier tipped the puck past his own goaltender and the score was 2-1.

After a scoreless second period, the Flyers were able to tie the score with 1:52 remaining in the game on an open Trevor Zegras shot.

The overtime period was scoreless although the Canes had a full two minutes of 4 on 3 time to work with, but they were unable to generate anything with the advantage.

Once again, Brandon Bussi came up huge in the shootout and was able to stop all three shooters he faced.

The Hurricanes got the win off a pretty backhander by Andrei Svechnikov, who was the only goal-scorer in the skills competition.

Jaccob Slavin returned to action this game after a long absence. He led the team with three blocked shots, one of them from in close that probably saved a goal. They eased him back to action as he only had 14:31 of ice time.

Next up for Carolina will be a match against the Predators in Nashville on Wednesday night.

Game Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/GS020510.HTM

Event Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/ES020510.HTM

Interviews – https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/8vhf...h1um35qvuqzbu48o872qkp3m&e=1&st=kmkycxfb&dl=0

Source: https://www.canescountry.com/2010-1...he-bus-keeps-rolling-hurricanes-3-flyers-2-so