As the Carolina Hurricanes prepare to face off against the Florida Panthers on January 16, they may find themselves missing a couple of key players from their usual roster. In a pregame discussion with the media, Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour confirmed that William Carrier will be sidelined for the third consecutive game due to a lower-body injury. Although the 31-year-old forward participated in practice yesterday, he has not recovered enough to play tonight.
On the defensive side, Shayne Gostisbehere is doubtful to join the lineup after he was unable to skate on Thursday because he wasn’t feeling well. This situation opens the possibility for Mike Reilly to stay in the game after recently stepping in for Jaccob Slavin during Tuesday's match.
Speaking of Slavin, it appears that he is ready to return after missing the game in St. Louis as part of his rehabilitation protocol for an injury. Brind'Amour expressed optimism about Slavin's participation, stating he hopes to see him on the ice for both tonight’s game and tomorrow’s matchup against New Jersey, which would mark his first back-to-back appearances of the season.
In goal, Brandon Bussi is set to make his 21st start in the NHL. He is eager to bounce back following a tough loss in St. Louis this past Tuesday. The 27-year-old goalie had previously achieved a personal best with 38 saves against the Panthers during their encounter in Sunrise on December 19, a game where he faced off against his former team after being claimed off waivers by Carolina after signing with Florida in the offseason.
Here’s how the projected lineup looks for tonight:
Forwards:
Svechnikov - Aho - Ehlers
Hall - Stankoven - Blake
Martinook - Staal - Jarvis
Robinson - Jankowski - Kotkaniemi
Defense:
Slavin - Chatfield
Miller - Walker
Reilly - Nikishin
Starting Goaltender:
Bussi
Injury Updates:
- William Carrier (Lower-Body Injury | Resumed Skating On Jan. 15)
- Shayne Gostisbehere (Undisclosed | No Timetable For Return)
- Pyotr Kochetkov (Hip Surgery | "Likely Out For The Year" as of Dec. 29)
- Charles Alexis Legault (Hand Injury | Out 3-4 Months From Nov. 11)
- Noah Philp (Concussion Protocol | No Timetable For Return)
Scratches:
N/A
Power Play Units:
- PP1: Aho, Ehlers (Staal), Jarvis, and Svechnikov with Nikishin
- PP2: Blake, Hall, and Stankoven with Miller and Walker
Jordan Staal has been taking faceoffs for the first power play unit; if he wins the draw, he remains on the ice. However, once the puck leaves the zone, he exits, allowing Nikolaj Ehlers to come on.
