標籤: Bullets

Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, stories and content you may have missed on Saturday.

montreal canadiens news

We now know when (most) of the games in the first-round series between the Habs and Tampa Bay Lightning will take place. It should also be noted that Victor Hedman is not expected to return to the Bolts’ lineup any time soon, and Lane Hutson practiced with Caden Guhle for the Canadiens. [Canadiens Playoff Preview: Updated Lines, Tampa Bay Injury]

Rookie Ivan Demidov took over the line rush with Alex Newhook and Alex Texier on the second line, and he’s feeling confident about the upcoming assignment against the Lightning, which will certainly include providing some semblance of durable offense.

Ivan Demidov on playing with Alex Newhook and Alexandre Texier in Habs practice today:

“Very good line. Everyone is very skilled and fast and they are two very strong guys. I love playing with them.” pic.twitter.com/dO3ClWmj9e

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 18 April 2026

Former hub PK Subban believes the Canadiens and Oilers will face off in the Stanley Cup Finals, with the Canadiens emerging victorious. There’s nothing wrong with dreaming in Technicolor, but with all due respect to Subban, there’s a lot of hard hockey left to play. It seems that every year a disproportionate number of analysts suggest that two Canadian teams will join the final clubs.

.@PKSubban1 The Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup for the 25th time 👀🏆

Stanley Cup Playoff action begins today at 3PM ET on ESPN and the ESPN App! 🍿 pic.twitter.com/9MyPNhs8Lm

– ESPN (@espn) 18 April 2026

Jacob Dobbs hasn’t been one of the best goaltenders this season, but the mere fact that he’s not too far off the top-5 is quite encouraging. Unfortunately for the Canadiens, Andrei Vasilevskiy is fourth in the NHL in assists.

Top goalscorers of the 2025-2026 regular season https://t.co/RtBkDPbkvW pic.twitter.com/xy4xMcNxRD

– MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) 17 April 2026

Not surprisingly, as they were the youngest team during the regular season, the Habs will also feature the youngest lineup in the playoffs. This is also a big difference.

The Habs will be the youngest team in the NHL playoffs again this year. pic.twitter.com/gU6uyCiSKX

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 18 April 2026

Head coach Martin St-Louis left no doubt when discussing his allegiance to the Canadiens and his time with the Lightning.

Habs coach Marty St. Louis on facing his old team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, in the playoffs:

“I have no feelings for Lightning right now. Zero.” pic.twitter.com/yPIBokAo4S

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 17 April 2026

Many journalists expected Lightning to make quick work of Hubs, and statistically speaking, there is a lot of logic behind their opinion. The good news is that the games are played on ice, not on paper.

Sportsnet predictions for Habs vs. Lightning playoff series pic.twitter.com/xIvzEJkzas

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) 18 April 2026

ICYMI: With Game One of the first-round series between the Habs and Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, we continue our in-depth series previews, including a comparison of their respective special teams. [Playoff Preview: Canadiens Vs. Lightning Special Teams]

ICYMI: We evaluated some X-factors coming into the series, including the importance of finding open space for Nick Suzuki and the rest of the first line. The Canadiens score a lot of goals, but if Tampa Bay’s shutdown line finds its rhythm, things will quickly turn sour for Montreal. [Playoff Preview: Canadiens Vs. Lightning Top X Factors]

ICYMI: There is no doubt, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been the better team at 5v5 this season. However, when the numbers between Montreal and the Lightning are evaluated against each other in their four games, the discrepancy is less noticeable, with the Canadiens managing to control more shots than the Bolts. [Playoff Preview: Canadiens Vs. Lightning Head-To-Head]

Sportsknot Network

New Jersey Devils win general manager free agent frenzy. Sunny Mehta was named Devils GM on Thursday evening. Mehta, an analytical guru, will bring a fresh perspective to the position left by former GM Tom Fitzgerald. Said approach begins immediately. The Devils have a long list of things to address ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft and free agent frenzy. So, where does he start? [New Jersey Devils]

The San Jose Sharks have one of the best players in the NHL at the moment in 19-year-old Maclin Celebrini. Coming off a record-breaking season where he almost led the team to the playoffs, it appears the phenom will be rewarded with a new deal this summer. [San Jose Sharks]

How can the Sens upset the best team in the Eastern Conference? Let’s get into the details with five keys to the Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes victory. [Carolina Hurricanes]

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

On Saturday, the Carolina Hurricanes will continue their drive west to face the Utah Mammoth – their final Western Conference matchup of the regular season.

The game is scheduled for 5:00 pm EDT.

In the Hurricanes’ last game against the Chicago Blackhawks, he received assists from four Chicago Wolves players in Josiah Slavin, Skyler Brind’Amour, Bradley Nadeau and Charles-Alexis Legault.

Not only did the Hurricanes defeat the Blackhawks with half their usual roster, but they did so in style as they achieved more than a half-dozen milestones in the 7-2 victory. You can read all about it here!

Meanwhile, in the Mammoth’s last game, they shocked the Nashville Predators with a 4–1 win in their quest for a Wild Card spot. Not only did they cause a bit of havoc for their Central Division rivals, but along with the Anaheim Ducks defeating the San Jose Sharks, the Mammoth were able to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in franchise history.

Due to both teams’ current status as playoff-bound teams, their lineups gradually remain vague, as practices move toward optionality and final gameday choices only come into focus moments before puck drop.

in the crease

For the Hurricanes, the starting goaltender is likely to be Brandon Bussey, due to the alternate tandem. Bussey had previously faced them during the Hurricanes’ historic comeback during Whalers Night in January, overcoming a two-goal deficit as they scored three goals in the final two minutes to win the game in regulation – making them only the third team in NHL history to accomplish this feat. Bussey has a .890 save percentage this season with a 30-6-1 record and a goals-against average of 2.52.

As for the Mammoth, Karel Vejmelka has made 75 percent of the starts for Utah this season, including the last four in a row. For this reason, I believe the Mammoth will likely turn to Vitek Vanecek for the start against Carolina. He has a save percentage of .885 this season, with a goals-against average of 2.87 with a 5-11-3 record.

Expected Carolina Hurricane Lines

Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake

Nikolaj Ehlers – Jespri Kotkaniemi – Bradley Nadeau

William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Nicolas Deslauriers

Josiah Slavin – Skylar Brind’Amour – Eric Robinson

protect

K’Andre Miller – Shayne Gostisbeer

Alexander Nikishin – Shawn Walker

Mike Reilly – Charles-Alexis Legault

goaltender

Brandon Bussey/Frederick Anderson

Expected Utah Mammoth Lines

Clayton Keller – Nick Schmaltz – Lawson Crouse

Kailer Yamamoto – Logan Cooley – Dylan Guenther

JJ Peterka – Alex Kerfoot – Michael Carcon

Liam O’Brien – Kevin Stenlund – Brandon Tanev

protect

Mikhail Sergachev – Mackenzie Weegar

Nate Schmidt – John Marino

Ian Cole – Shawn Darzee

goaltender

Karel Vejmelka / Vitek Venecek

special teams

Carolina Hurricanes power play: 24.6% (6th, down one spot from last game)
Carolina Hurricanes Penalty Kill: 80.6% (11th, up one spot from last game)

Utah Mammoth Power Play: 19.8% (20th)
Utah Mammoth Penalty Kill: 78.4% (18th)

storm game notes

This season, it appears the Hurricanes are out of the running for the President’s Trophy this season. Following the Colorado Avalanche’s 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Thursday night, the West’s best players lifted the trophy as they secured their 114th point in the standings. Considering the curse that seems to be behind the trophy, this is a good thing for Carolina.

Head coach Rod Brind’Amour spoke to the media regarding the status of players who were taken out of the lineup in the previous game against the Blackhawks. He said some of them had been ‘evacuated’ but could leave if needed.

how to see

TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 99.9 The Fan

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

Over the next three games, the Carolina Hurricanes have six crucial Metropolitan Division points on the line that could make or break the current contenders’ season as the path to the postseason narrows. Tuesday is the first step into the madness, as the Hurricanes face the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.

The game, which will be locked to ESPN+ and Hulu, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT.

In the Hurricanes’ last game, they suffered a blowout loss to the Montreal Canadiens, who refused to leave Carolina without a single point, effectively clinching the season series against the Hurricanes. The game included a wild 100 shot attempt from Carolina – their highest of the season – but they were unable to find the twine more than once. The Canadiens ate up everything, blocked everything and ultimately finished the game with a 3-1 score. Montreal’s 32 blocked shots were the most by any team this season. You can read all about it here!

Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets have faced a number of ups and downs recently. Last Tuesday, they were in second place in the Metro Division – something they had not reached this late in the season since 2017. Now, they are fighting in the wild-card position. The last week has not been good for them, as they have not been able to win a single one of their last three matches.

In their game on Sunday against the Boston Bruins, who forced overtime and came back to win, Mathieu Ollivier left with an upper body injury. On Monday, they recalled Luca Del Bell Belluz, pointing to the possibility that the Blue Jackets’ bruiser will be unavailable against the Hurricanes.

in the crease

If they continue to move through the rotation, the Hurricanes will likely find Brandon Bussey in the net. His save percentage is .894, with a goals-against average of 2.45 en route to a 27-6-1 record.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets have been struggling to adjust to the rotation and have relied heavily on their young netminder, Jett Greaves, who has played in 48 games compared to Elvis Merzlikins’ 29. They’ll likely turn to Greaves again on Tuesday. His save percentage this season is .910, with a goals-against average of 2.56 with a 24-14-9 record.

Expected Carolina Hurricane Lines

Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis

Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake

Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook

William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson

protect

Jacob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield

K’Andre Miller – Shawn Walker

Shayne Gostisbehere – Alexander Nikishin

goaltender

Brandon Bussey/Frederick Anderson

expected columbus blue jackets series

Mason Marchment – Adam Fantilly – Kirill Marchenko

Boon Jenner – Sean Monahan – Conor Garland

Cole Sillinger – Charlie Coyle – Miles Wood

Denton Heinen – Isak Lundestrom – Luca Del Bel Belluz

protect

Zach Werenski – Dante Fabbro

Igor Zamula – Ivan Provorov

Denton Mateichuk – Eric Gudbranson

goaltender

Jet Greaves/Elvis Merzlikins

special teams

Carolina Hurricanes Power Play: 23.7% (9th, down one spot from last game)
Carolina Hurricanes Penalty Kill: 80.2% (13th)

Columbus Blue Jackets Power Play: 20.2% (17th)
Columbus Blue Jackets Penalty Kill: 77.3% (25th)

storm game notes

The Hurricanes face the Blue Jackets on Tuesday at Nationwide Arena and then face off again on Thursday at Lenovo Center.

Carolina is two points away from achieving a 100-point season. Last season, they finished with only 99, ending a three-year three-point streak.

how to see

Streaming: ESPN+, Hulu
Radio: 99.9 The Fan

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

On Sunday, the Carolina Hurricanes will kick off their back-to-back homestand, facing the Montreal Canadiens for the second time in less than a week, and just 24 hours after their game with the New Jersey Devils. This game will not only be one of four remaining home games of the regular season, but will also honor veterans for their annual military appreciation night.

The game is scheduled for 5:00 pm EDT.

In the Hurricanes’ last game, they defeated the Devils 5–2 to complete their season, with Shayne Gostisbeer returning from injury, a goal for the third consecutive game for Nikolaj Ehlers and the 30th goal of the season for Seth Jarvis. You can check out the recap here!

Meanwhile, the Canadiens are in the midst of a five-game road trip, which begins on Saturday against the Nashville Predators. In that game, after the Canadiens scored four consecutive goals (including captain Nick Suzuki’s assist number 300), the Predators only got on the board at the end of the third period, giving Jacob Fowler the second NHL shutout of his career.

in the crease

With Brandon Bussy set to play Saturday, Frederik Andersen is almost certain to start against the Canadiens Sunday. Anderson’s record against the Canadiens was perfect, with a slight dip in the previous game – a 5–2 loss – but still, he has won nine of the 11 games he has played against them in his career. Anderson has a save percentage of .871 this season, with a 13-12-5 record and a goals-against average of 3.15.

On the other side of the ice, the Canadiens will undoubtedly opt to keep Jacob Dobbs in net, as Fowler covered the game against the Predators. In his last game against Carolina, he had the best performance of his young career, and his most saves ever in an NHL game. This season, he has a save percentage of .898 with a goals-against average of 2.83 with a 24-8-4 record.

Expected Carolina Hurricane Lines

Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis

Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake

Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook

William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson

protect

Jacob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield

K’Andre Miller – Shawn Walker

Shayne Gostisbehere – Alexander Nikishin

goaltender

Frederick Anderson / Brandon Bussey

Expected Montreal Canadiens Lines

Cole Coffield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkowski

Alex Newhook – Oliver Kapanen – Ivan Demidov

Jack Bolduc – Jake Evans – Josh Anderson

Joe Veleno – Philip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

protect

Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson

Jaden Struble – Lane Hutson

Caden Guhle – Alexandre Carrier

goaltender

Jacob Dobbs / Jacob Fowler

special teams

Carolina Hurricanes Power Play: 23.6% (8th, up two spots from last game)
Carolina Hurricanes Penalty Kill: 80.3% (13th, up one spot from last game)

Montreal Canadiens Power Play: 24.5% (5th)
Montreal Canadiens Penalty Kill: 76.7% (26th)

storm game notes

After missing nine consecutive games, Shayne Gostisbier returned to the lineup for a two-point game (1G, 1A) on Saturday.

With a shorthanded, empty net goal in the game against the Devils, Seth Jarvis scored his third consecutive 30-goal goal of the season. He is only the sixth player in franchise history to achieve this feat.

There are only four more home games remaining in the Hurricanes’ regular season, and three of them are theme nights (Military Appreciation Night, Grateful Dead Night, Fan Appreciation Night).

how to see

TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 99.9 The Fan

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNut. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

For the third time in twelve days, the Carolina Hurricanes will face the Pittsburgh Penguins, but this time, at 3:00 PM EDT at PPG Paints Arena for a matinee match.

The two latest games between them have been some of the most entertaining games of the season.

In those recent contests, the victory was claimed by Carolina in overtime, but Pittsburgh still held on for some crucial points at the end of the regular season against the Metropolitan Division leader.

You can read all about their March 10th game here, and about their March 18th game here – it’s worth it!

As someone who enjoys both teams, I can’t deny that I like it – and I know many fans of both fans who like it too. This rivalry coming so close to the postseason, bringing playoff energy, has been incredible.

Interestingly, in each of their games since their last meeting, both the Hurricanes and Penguins had to fight for two points in overtime, with Carolina defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs thanks to Alexander Nikishin’s wrist shot, and Pittsburgh advancing to the shootout with the winning shot coming off the stick of Sidney Crosby.

in the crease

On Sunday, we’ll likely see a similar goaltender matchup as we’ve seen in all three of their games with each other this season.

If the alternating tandem continues as expected for the Hurricanes, Frederik Andersen will get the start for Carolina. This season, he has a save percentage of .872 with a goals-against average of 3.19 in a 12-11-5 record.

Meanwhile, Stuart Skinner is expected to be at the crease for the Penguins. His save percentage this season is .890, including a goals-against average of 2.85 in a 20-13-9 record.

Expected Carolina Hurricane Lines

Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis

Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake

Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook

William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson

protect

Jacob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield

K’Andre Miller – Shawn Walker

Mike Reilly – Alexander Nikishin

goaltender

Brandon Bussey/Frederick Anderson

Expected Pittsburgh Penguins Lines

Ricard Raquel – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust

Igor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin

Anthony Mantha – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau

Elmer Soderblom – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari

protect

Parker Wotherspoon – Eric Carlson

Samuel Girard – Kris Letang

Ryan Shea – Connor Clifton

goaltender

Stuart Skinner / Artur Silo

special teams

Carolina Hurricanes Power Play: 22.1% (12th)
Carolina Hurricanes Penalty Kill: 79.5% (16th, down one spot from last game)

Pittsburgh Penguins Power Play: 24.9% (3rd)
Pittsburgh Penguins Penalty Kill: 84.2% (1st)

storm game notes

The game against the Penguins is placed in the middle of their three-game road trip. After the game, they will head back across the border for a game with the Montreal Canadiens. This is their final three-plus game road trip of the regular season.

There has been no update on Shayne Gostisbeer, who was injured on March 6, and is expected to miss his eighth consecutive game.

Carolina’s fourth line has been quite impressive as of late. It is unknown if there will be any roster changes, such as adding Jesperi Kotkaniemi or Nicolas Deslauriers into the mix.

how to see

TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 99.9 The Fan

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

Just eight days away from their last meeting, the Carolina Hurricanes will once again face the Pittsburgh Penguins at Lenovo Center.

The game is scheduled for 7:00 pm EDT.

What do the Hurricanes and Penguins’ previous games have in common? Both involved beatings in more ways than one.

For Carolina, Nicolas Deslauriers dropped the mitts with Mathieu Ollivier at center ice to spark some life into a Hurricane team that was struggling to find its game in the first half of the match. However, they suffered a 5–1 loss courtesy of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

As for Pittsburgh, Connor Clifton clashed with Jack Drury on Monday night before they beat the Colorado Avalanche 7-2 in Evgeni Malkin’s return from a five-game suspension. Glass.

At this time, it is unclear whether Sidney Crosby will play. According to PHN, he has recently practiced with additional forwards, but has spent the Penguins’ entire trip on the ice in the press box. …It feels like the calm before the storm.

in the crease

Since Brandon Bussey started in Columbus on Tuesday, it is almost certain that Frederik Andersen will play against the Penguins. In their last game against Pittsburgh, they scored in regulation, overtime and the shootout to lead the Hurricanes to victory. This season, he has a save percentage of .873 with a goals-against average of 3.14 in an 11-11-5 record.

Meanwhile, the Penguins have also employed the old alternate tandem strategy in net, which seems to be doing well for them. As Artur Silovs was on the crease in his last game, Stuart Skinner will likely get a rematch with the Hurricanes after taking his team to overtime with some very notable saves in their last meeting with Carolina. His save percentage this season is .891, including a goals-against average of 2.78 in a 20-13-8 record.

expected storm lines

Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis

Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake

Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook

William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson

protect

Jacob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield

K’Andre Miller – Shawn Walker

Mike Reilly – Alexander Nikishin

goaltender

Frederick Anderson / Brandon Bussey

Expected Pittsburgh Penguins Lines

Anthony Mantha – Ricard Raquel – Brian Rust

Igor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin

Ville Koivunen – Ben Kindel – Justin Brazeau

Elmer Soderblom – Connor Dewar – Noel Acciari

protect

Parker Wotherspoon – Eric Carlson

Ryan Shea – Kris Letang

Ilya Solovyov – Connor Clifton

goaltender

Stuart Skinner / Artur Silo

special teams

Carolina Hurricanes power play: 21.9% (14th, down two spots from last game)
Carolina Hurricanes Penalty Kill: 79.4% (15th, down two spots from last game)

Pittsburgh Penguins Power Play: 25.1% (3rd)
Pittsburgh Penguins Penalty Kill: 84.5% (1st)

storm game notes

Shayne Gostisbeer is expected to miss his sixth consecutive game after suffering a lower body injury on March 6.

In the last game, Eric Robinson was benched to bring Deslauriers into the mix. It is expected that Robinson will return for Wednesday’s game.

The Hurricanes are currently on a two-match battle streak. Considering the playoff energy between the two Metropolitan Division rivals, it wouldn’t be shocking to see that number increase.

how to see

TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 99.9 The Fan

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

On Saturday, the Vegas Golden Knights (30-22-14) will play the second game of a four-game homestand. After a three-game losing streak, they are back on a winning streak and will look to better their last game. They will host the Chicago Blackhawks (25-29-11) at T-Mobile Arena.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:08pm PST.

The Golden Knights played their last match on Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. They started strongly, never looked back and registered an impressive 6-2 win.

The Blackhawks last played on Thursday against the Utah Mammoth. Connor Bedard had his 18th multipoint game of the season and scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give his team a 3–2 victory.

Adin Hill will make his fourth consecutive start in goal for the Golden Knights. Hill has a 2-0-1 record and an average save percentage of .855 in three career games against the Blackhawks.

Spencer Knight started in goal for the Blackhawks. In five career games against the Golden Knights, Knight has a 1-3-1 record and an average save percentage of .885.

Golden Nights Lines

Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone
Pavel Dorofyev – Tomas Hertel – Mitch Marner
Brett Howden – Colton Sissons – Brayden Bowman
Cole Smith – Nick Dowd – Keegan Kolesar

protect

Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin – Rasmus Andersen
Jeremy Lauzon – Cayden Korczak

Goaltenders: Adin Hill / Akira Schmid

blackhawks lines

Ryan Greene – Connor Bedard – Andre Burakovsky
Tyler Bertuzzi – Frank Nazar – Teuvo Teravainen
Andrew Mangiapane – Ryan Donato – Ilya Mikheyev
Nick Lardis – Sam Lafferty – Landon Slaggart

protect

Alex Vlasik – Louis Crevier
Wyatt Kaiser – Sam Rinzel
Matt Grzelcyk – Artem Levshunov

Goaltender: Spencer Knight / Arvid Söderblom

special teams

VGK Power Play: 25.1%, T4th
VGK Penalty Kill: 81.9%, 7th

Blackhawks power play: 19.8%, 21st
Blackhawks Penalty Kill: 85.6%, 1st

golden knights game notes

The Golden Knights have advanced Chicago past regulation in both meetings this season and have a 1–0–1 record in those contests. Their all-time record against the Blackhawks is 16–3–4.

Jack Eichel is on a four-game point streak (3-2-5).

Eichel leads the Golden Knights in scoring with 24 goals and 74 points in 58 games this season. He has five goals and 16 points in 21 career games against the Blackhawks.

Connor Bedard leads the Blackhawks with 27 goals and 62 points in 52 games this season. He has three goals and six points in seven career games against the Golden Knights.

Milestone alert! Colton Sissons opened the scoring with his 100th career NHL goal on Thursday.

Jack Eichel will skate in his 300th game as a Golden Knight tonight.

The Golden Knights have a 15–10–7 record at Fortress this season; The Blackhawks are 12-14-6 on the road.

how to see

TV: Vegas 34
Streaming: Nighttime+
Radio: Fox Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340

Hannah Kirkel is a beat writer who covers the Vegas Golden Knights for Vegas Hockey Now on SportsNote. She studied more about Hannah Kirkel

On Thursday, the Vegas Golden Knights (29-22-14) begin a four-game homestand. They have lost six of their last seven games and are trying to right the ship and regain control of the Pacific Division. They will host the Pittsburgh Penguins (32-17-15) at T-Mobile Arena.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:08pm PST.

The Golden Knights played their last match on Tuesday against the Dallas Stars. Despite a strong start, they struggled to maintain offensive pressure and lost 2–1.

The Penguins played their last game on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. They made a strong comeback with two goals in the third period, but lost 5–4 in the shootout.

Adin Hill started in goal for the Golden Knights. Hill has a 1-2-2 record and an average save percentage of .909 in five career games against the Penguins.

Arturs Silovs started in goal for the Penguins. Sillove’s record is 2-0-0 and his average save percentage in two career games against the Golden Knights is .933.

Mark Stone, who has missed the last six games due to an upper body injury, participated in the line rush at Thursday’s morning skate. However, he did so in a red non-contact jersey.

Golden Nights Lines

Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone*
Pavel Dorofyev – Tomas Hertel – Mitch Marner
Brett Howden – Colton Sissons – Brayden Bowman
Cole Smith – Nick Dowd – Keegan Kolesar

*Red non-contact jersey

protect

Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin – Rasmus Andersen
Jeremy Lauzon – Cayden Korczak

Goaltender: Adin Hill/Akira Schmidt

penguin lines

Igor Chinakhov – Ricard Raquel – Brian Rust
Anthony Mantha – Tommy Novak – Ville Koivunen
Elmer Soderblom – Ben Kindel – Avery Hayes
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizette – Noel Acciari

protect

Parker Wotherspoon- Eric Carlson
Ryan Shea – Kris Letang
Ilya Solovyov – Connor Clifton

Goaltender: Arthur Shilov / Stuart Skinner

special teams

VGK power play: 25.4%, 3rd
VGK Penalty Kill: 81.5%, 7th

Penguins power play: 25.1%, T5th
Penguins penalty kill: 84.3%, second

golden knights game notes

The Golden Knights lost their first game this season to the Penguins, and their performance was quite miserable. His all-time score against the Penguins is 6-8-1.

Jack Eichel is on a three-game point streak (2-1-3).

Eichel leads the Golden Knights in scoring with 23 goals and 72 points in 57 games this season. He has nine goals and 17 points in 20 career games against the Penguins.

We’re on Milestone Watch! Colton Sissons is one goal away from 100 in his career.

The Golden Knights have a 14–10–7 record at Fortress this season; The Penguins are 16-8-7 on the road.

how to see

TV: Vegas 34
Streaming: Nighttime+
Radio: Fox Sports Las Vegas 94.7/1340

Hannah Kirkel is a beat writer who covers the Vegas Golden Knights for Vegas Hockey Now on SportsNote. She studied more about Hannah Kirkel

The Carolina Hurricanes will welcome the St. Louis Blues to Lenovo Center on Thursday, concluding their season series against them. He last played on January 13, where he was shut out on a three-and-out zilch by Blues goaltender Joel Hofer.

The game is scheduled for 7:00 pm EDT.

Facing Team Carolina will be different from their previous meeting, as the Blues will be without captain Braden Schenn after being dealt to the New York Islanders at the deadline. Additionally, former Hurricanes co-captain Justin Faulk also departed St. Louis at the deadline, as he was sent to the Detroit Red Wings.

Of the four players acquired in trades, only Jonathan Drouin and Justin Hall have experience in the NHL.

On Tuesday, the Hurricanes played a remarkably wild game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, with the two teams exchanging leads all night until the Penguins overcame a two-goal deficit with six skaters in the final minutes to force overtime. I blame Neil Diamond!

Nonetheless, the Hurricanes managed to defeat them in the shootout and Alexander Nikishin made history as he broke the franchise goal record for a rookie defenseman.

between the pipes

Wednesday was a much-needed holiday for the storm, so there was no practice to base the actual launch on. However, that doesn’t stop me from trying my best to give you an educated guess. I care about you guys, and I know this is a big topic that we all want to know more about.

On Tuesday, Frederik Andersen took the crease against the Penguins and played honestly well. The Hurricanes have used him more since the Olympics, which will likely give him more playing time to build his confidence and prepare his body for the postseason. That being said, Brandon Bussey has been good, but as expected, his play has been a little shaky since returning from the Olympic break. Momentum is a huge force, and the three-week break disrupted that. Now he faces a new point of development in overcoming these struggles at the top level, something that every netminder deals with at the beginning of their NHL career.

If the alternative tandem continues, Bussey should start unless they opt to play him against the high-tempo, high-pressing Tampa Bay Lightning, against whom he performed well in the first game after the Olympic break. This season he has a save percentage of .898 with a goals-against average of 2.38 with a 25-4-1 record.

As for the Blues, they have relied heavily on Joel Hofer recently. However, I don’t think he will be the starter. They have played two games in a row and Thursday’s game will be the start of a back-to-back set that also includes travel. The other team in the set, the Edmonton Oilers, being a Western Conference rival, it is logical to think they would want Hofer to play that game.

Jordan Binnington will likely start against the Hurricanes. This season, with a 9-18-6 record and a goals-against average of 3.55, he has a save percentage of .868.

Expected Carolina Hurricane Lines

Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis

Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake

Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook

William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson

protect

Jacob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield

K’Andre Miller – Shawn Walker

Mike Reilly – Alexander Nikishin

goaltender

Brandon Bussey/Frederick Anderson

Expected Blues Lines

Dylan Holloway – Robert Thomas – Jimmy Snaggrud

Jake Neighbors – Delibor Dvorsky – Jordan Kirou

Jonathan Drouin – Pavel Buchnevich – Otto Steinberg

Alexey Toropchenko – Jack Finley – Pius Suter

protect

Philip Broberg – Logan Mailloux

Theo Lindstein – Colton Parayko

Cam Fowler – Tyler Tucker

goaltender

Jordan Binnington / Joel Hoffer

special teams

Carolina Hurricanes Power Play: 22.4% (11th)
Carolina Hurricanes Penalty Kill: 79.4% (14th)

St. Louis Blues power play: 17.1% (25th)
St. Louis Blues Penalty Kill: 74.3% (29th)

storm game notes

Ahead of Tuesday’s tilt against the Penguins, Rod Brind’Amour spoke with Hurricanes analyst Trip Tracy about the status of Shayne Gostisbeer, who has missed the last two games due to injury:

“I was hoping it wouldn’t last too long. I’m not sure it would be an extended period, but it certainly doesn’t look like he’ll be there tonight or possibly the next few games… He’s struggled with it all year.”

Additionally, in the last game, Nikolaj Ehlers left the ice in the first period due to a knee injury. However, he returned early in the second period and played the rest of the game. Still, he remains someone to keep an eye on going into the game against St. Louis.

Meanwhile, Nicolas Deslauriers is yet to debut for the Hurricanes. It’s unclear when he might enter the lineup. Nonetheless, he has continued to practice with the team and warm up before Tuesday’s game.

how to see

TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 99.9 The Fan

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

home at last!

The Carolina Hurricanes will begin a two-game homestand, starting with a matchup against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night. We better get used to watching them, too – this will be the first of three games against the Penguins this month, two of which will be on the same strange road trip for them.

The Penguins will be without some notable players in the tilt. They recently lost Justin Brazeau to an upper-body injury, while Evgeni Malkin is serving his five-game suspension for a hit to the head of Buffalo Sabers captain Rasmus Dahlin.

Additionally, Sidney Crosby is indeed alive – and may join the Penguins on their road trip (though questionable for Tuesday night’s game).

While the Hurricanes are currently leading the Eastern Conference, the Penguins are only eight points behind Carolina in the Metropolitan Division standings. The upcoming weeks will be a test for the Hurricanes, as five of the 11 remaining games in March will be against divisional rivals, and 10 will be against conference rivals.

Tuesday’s game is scheduled for 7:00 pm EDT.

The previous road trip proved to be hit and miss for Carolina, as they only managed to win two of four games and lost defenseman Shayne Gostisbeer, a key component of their power play.

finally they found it

In their return to Raleigh, the Hurricanes have (officially) added a new component to the team in the form of Nicolas Deslauriers – a grinder and enforcer. …You know, he might help solve some problems against the influx of rivals in the coming weeks!

Deslauriers was cheerful when meeting with the press on Monday and seemed excited to be traded to the Hurricanes.

“My background is from signing here about four years ago, so it’s kind of a reunion,” he said after practice.

“Obviously, I got here pretty early – I was almost the first guy here – but, you know, I got to have a meeting with Rod and all the coaching staff.”

A father of four children, he also praised the family aspect of the Hurricanes organization.

“You just understand that it’s all about us; it’s all about family. [Brind’Amour]The first question was ‘How’s my family doing’, ‘If they’re coming down’…It’s an easy transition for me, and we’ll bring the family here at some point.’

what’s happening on the net

After some struggles with the puck during the road trip, Brandon Busey was seen working hard while practicing stickhandling during practice on Monday. That being said, Frederik Andersen had the starter’s crease and thus, the same is expected to be the case against the Penguins. Anderson has a save percentage of .873 this season, with a 9-11-5 record and a goals-against average of 3.16.

As for the Penguins, they have recently worked with a similar alternative tandem. If this pattern continues against the Hurricanes, Stuart Skinner will be in net. His save percentage this season is .890, including a goals-against average of 2.74 in a 19-13-7 record.

Expected Carolina Hurricane Lines

Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis

Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake

Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook

William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson

protect

Jacob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield

K’Andre Miller – Shawn Walker

Mike Reilly – Alexander Nikishin

goaltender

Frederick Anderson / Brandon Bussey

expected penguin lines

Igor Chinakhov – Ricard Raquel – Brian Rust

Anthony Mantha – Tommy Novak – Ville Koivunen

Elmer Soderblom – Ben Kindel – Avery Hayes

Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Noel Acciari

protect

Parker Wotherspoon – Eric Carlson

Ryan Shea – Kris Letang

Samuel Girard – Ilya Solovyov

goaltender

Stuart Skinner / Artur Silo

special teams

Carolina Hurricanes power play: 22.5% (11th, up one spot from last game)
Carolina Hurricanes Penalty Kill: 79.4% (14th)

Pittsburgh Penguins Power Play: 25.3% (6th)
Pittsburgh Penguins Penalty Kill: 84.4% (2nd)

storm game notes

After practice on Monday, Brind’Amour was unable to provide an update on Gostisbehere, saying he did not yet know the severity of the injury.

Brind’Amour also said he was unsure when Deslauriers could get into the lineup, though he described it as a good problem to have.

The Hurricanes are 4-2-0 since returning from the Olympic break.

how to see

TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 99.9 The Fan

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

The Carolina Hurricanes welcomed the post-Olympics NHL regular season with a resounding (and oddly familiar) win against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. However, Saturday’s opponent, the Detroit Red Wings, also made a strong comeback in the game and defeated the Ottawa Senators in overtime.

Detroit has played remarkably well this season and currently sits in third place in the Eastern Conference standings, just six points behind Carolina.

The Hurricanes are scheduled to play the Red Wings on Saturday at 7:00 pm EST at Lenovo Center.

In their last matchup against each other, the Red Wings came out on top in overtime on the night of Sergei Federov’s jersey retirement thanks to Andrew Copp. However, it came with its share of drama, as Shayne Gostisbeer took a cross-check from behind by Coop, which opened the way for the game-winning goal.

Since the call was missed, the goal remained on the board and Gostisbehere and Sebastian Aho were both given 10-minute misconducts – the first in Aho’s NHL career.

The Hurricanes won’t be able to get a January game back, but they can finish February with a perfect record and extend their 11-game point streak to 12.

in the crease

It’s uncertain which goaltender the Hurricanes will run with on Saturday, but there is a significant possibility they may opt to keep Frederik Andersen between the pipes. He has an excellent record against the Red Wings in his time with the Hurricanes (4-1-1) and has played very well throughout the Olympics. He has a 3.26 goals-against average this season and a 7-10-5 record with a save percentage of .871, and he is currently sitting on a five-game point streak.

Meanwhile, for the Red Wings, the likely starting goalie is John Gibson. His save percentage this season is .905, with a goals-against average of 2.57 with a 23-12-2 record.

Expected Carolina Hurricane Lines

Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis

Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake

Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook

William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson

protect

Jacob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield

K’Andre Miller – Shawn Walker

Shayne Gostisbehere – Alexander Nikishin

goaltender

Frederick Anderson (probability) / Brandon Bussey

expected red wing lines

Marco Casper – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond

Alex DeBrincat – Andrew Copp – Patrick Kane

Emmitt Finney – JT Comper – Mason Appleton

Elmer Soderblom – Michael Rasmussen – James van Riemsdyk

protect

Simon Edvinsson – Moritz Seider

Albert Johansson – Axel Sandin-Pellica

Ben Chiarot – Jacob Bernard-Docker

goaltender

John Gibson/Cam Talbot

special teams

Carolina Hurricanes Power Play: 21.9% (14th)
Carolina Hurricanes Penalty Kill: 80.2% (12th, down one spot from last game)

Detroit Red Wings Power Play: 23.4% (9th)
Detroit Red Wings Penalty Kill: 79.2% (16th)

storm game notes

Following the game versus the Red Wings, the Hurricanes will embark on a four-game western road trip from which they will not return until after the NHL trade deadline.

In Thursday’s game against the Lightning, Logan Stankoven’s line went hot, scoring five points between the three of them. After some unfortunate positions for them on the score sheet, it was a welcome sight.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi remains the probable healthy player for Saturday’s game.

how to see

TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Streaming: ESPN+
Radio: 99.9 The Fan

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay