Hurricanes vs. Panthers Preview
The Carolina Hurricanes are gearing up to face the Florida Panthers tonight. However, they’ll be missing a couple of key players.
Coach Rod Brind’Amour confirmed that William Carrier will sit out again due to a lower-body injury. Although he practiced yesterday, he won’t be ready to play tonight.
On defense, Shayne Gostisbehere is doubtful as he missed Thursday’s practice, feeling unwell. This opens up a chance for Mike Reilly, who recently filled in for Jaccob Slavin. Brind’Amour is optimistic that Slavin, who missed time for injury rehab, will be back in action tonight and tomorrow, marking his first back-to-back games this season.
Brandon Bussi will be in goal for his 21st NHL start. He aims to bounce back after a tough loss against St. Louis. In their earlier matchup, Bussi made an impressive 38 saves against the Panthers, showcasing his potential.
Injury Update
- William Carrier: Lower-Body Injury (Resumed Skating)
- Shayne Gostisbehere: Undisclosed (No Timetable for Return)
- Pyotr Kochetkov: Hip Surgery (Likely Out for the Year)
- Charles Alexis Legault: Hand Injury (Out 3-4 Months)
- Noah Philp: Concussion Protocol (No Timetable for Return)
Projected Lineup:
Forwards:
Svechnikov – Aho – Ehlers
Hall – Stankoven – Blake
Martinook – Staal – Jarvis
Robinson – Jankowski – Kotkaniemi
Defense:
Slavin – Chatfield
Miller – Walker
Reilly – Nikishin
Starting Goaltender:
Bussi
Special Teams:
- Power Play 1: Aho, Ehlers, Jarvis, Svechnikov with Nikishin
- Power Play 2: Blake, Hall, Stankoven with Miller and Walker
Jordan Staal is taking faceoffs for the first power play unit. If he wins, he stays on; if the puck goes out of the zone, he switches with Ehlers.
Recent Trends
In the past few weeks, fan reactions on social media highlight the excitement around Slavin’s potential return and Bussi’s development as a goaltender. Many are eager to see how the team adapts with the injuries and what impact this game could have on their playoff chances.
With the Hurricanes training hard and adjusting their strategy, tonight’s game against the Panthers promises to be an engaging matchup. Fans are hopeful that the team can pull together despite the challenges.
