Carolina travels to Chicago looking to rebound after a loss in Colorado last weekend. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:38 p.m. EST.
Carolina is off to a 9-5-1 start but have lost three of its last four games. Despite its recent struggles, the Canes are still in third place in the Metropolitan Division. Andrei Svechnikov continues to fuel the Hurricanes offensively with 11 goals. Martin Neccas and Sebastain Aho are the only other skaters with more than three goals as they have seven each. The trio is also atop the Carolina leaderboard in points. Necas leads the team with 19 points while Aho and Svechnikov have 17 each. Brent Burns is the only other Hurricane with double-digit points with 10.
Carolina has received consistent goaltending from all three goaltenders it has used this season. Antti Raanta remains in a temporary number one role with Frederik Andersen sidelined. Raanta has been good in six starts this season notching a 3-2-1 record with a 2.47 goals against average and a .911 save percentage.
Chicago has been about average this season notching a 6-5-3 record coming into tonight’s game. The Blackhawks have kept up the mediocrity recently as Chicago has dropped three of its last five games, capturing five of a possible 10 points in that span. Johnathan Toews leads Chicago in scoring this season with seven goals. Patrick Kane leads the Hawks in points with 12 and is followed closely by both Toews and Max Domi who have tallied 10 each.
Chicago has cycled through four goaltenders so far this season due to injury. Petr Mrazek and Alex Stalock are the Blackhawks presumed number one and two goaltenders. Mrazek has appeared in four games where he has tallied a 1-1-1 record with a 3.21 GAA and an .895 SV%. Stalock has a 3-2-1 record in seven games with a 2.93 GAA and a .914 SV%. Forward Jason Dickinson will miss tonight’s game with an illness, while Tyler Johnson is expected to be out for at least one more week with an ankle injury.
The Hurricanes took both meetings with the Blackhawks last season, winning them 6-3 and 6-4. Tonight’s starting goaltenders are projected to be Raanta for Carolina and Mrazek for Chicago.
