Hurricanes Shorthanded vs. Panthers as Injuries Reshape Lineup Ahead of Key Matchup
RALEIGH, N.C. - The Carolina Hurricanes are gearing up to close out their season series against the Florida Panthers tonight, but they'll do it without a couple of key contributors in the lineup.
Head coach Rod Brind’Amour confirmed pregame that forward William Carrier will miss his third straight game as he continues to recover from a lower-body injury. Carrier did return to practice on Monday, which is a good sign for his progression, but he's not quite ready for game action just yet.
On the defensive side, Shayne Gostisbehere is officially out for tonight's contest after missing Thursday’s skate and dealing with what the team is calling a lower-body issue. That opens the door for Mike Reilly to stay in the lineup after stepping in earlier this week against St. Louis.
Reilly’s presence becomes even more important with the team managing minutes carefully on the blue line. Jaccob Slavin, who sat out the game in St.
Louis as part of his injury rehab plan, is expected to return tonight. Brind’Amour said he’s “hopeful” Slavin can now handle back-to-back games, which would be a significant step forward in his recovery.
If all goes well, he’ll suit up again tomorrow when the Canes travel to face the Devils.
In net, Brandon Bussi gets the nod for his 21st NHL start. He’s looking to bounce back after a tough outing in St.
Louis earlier this week, but there’s reason for optimism. The 27-year-old netminder had one of the best performances of his career the last time he faced the Panthers, stopping 38 shots in a win down in Sunrise on December 19.
That game carried a little extra weight for Bussi-he signed with Florida in the offseason before being claimed off waivers by Carolina-so expect him to bring that same edge tonight.
The team also made a late roster move, recalling defenseman Joel Nystrom from AHL Chicago to provide depth with Gostisbehere sidelined.
Here’s how the Hurricanes are expected to line up tonight:
Projected Forward Lines
- Top Line: Andrei Svechnikov - Sebastian Aho - Nikolaj Ehlers
- Second Line: Taylor Hall - Logan Stankoven - Jack Blake
- Third Line: Jordan Martinook - Jordan Staal - Seth Jarvis
- Fourth Line: Eric Robinson - Mark Jankowski - Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Defense Pairings
- Jaccob Slavin - Jalen Chatfield
- K’Andre Miller - Sean Walker
- Mike Reilly - Alexander Nikishin
Starting Goaltender
- Brandon Bussi
Injury Report
- William Carrier: Lower-body injury, resumed skating Jan. 15
- Shayne Gostisbehere: Lower-body injury, out indefinitely
- Pyotr Kochetkov: Hip surgery, likely out for the season
- Charles Alexis Legault: Hand injury, out 3-4 months from Nov. 11
- Noah Philp: Concussion protocol, no timetable for return
Power Play Units
PP1: Aho, Ehlers (rotating with Staal), Jarvis, Svechnikov, Nikishin
PP2: Blake, Hall, Stankoven, Miller, Walker
Interesting wrinkle on the top unit-Jordan Staal is taking the opening faceoff. If he wins it, he stays on the ice.
But once the puck clears the zone, Nikolaj Ehlers jumps in to take over. It’s a strategic move that gives the Canes a strong chance at puck possession right off the draw while still maximizing offensive firepower once the play sets up.
With Florida coming in looking to even the season series and Carolina navigating injuries on both ends of the ice, tonight’s matchup has the makings of a gritty, high-stakes battle. The Hurricanes will need their depth to step up, their defense to hold firm, and Bussi to channel some of that December magic if they want to come out on top.