Goalie Karel Vejmelka will likely get the nod in net tonight, and he's posted a 5-5-1 record with a 3.23 goals-against average and .909 save percentage. Though the 26-year-old has dropped his last two games, he is 4-2-0 over his last six starts.
Wednesday's game marks the first of two contests between the Coyotes and Hurricanes, as the two will meet again March 3 at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Ariz.
Player to Watch: Rookie Dylan Guenther will likely be back in the lineup after being scratched against Nashville on Monday. The 19-year-old started the season with six points in his first eight games, but has cooled considerably since. He has just one goal in his last seven games, so look for him to make an impact tonight, especially on the power play.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES
Carolina has maintained its second-place positioning in the Metropolitan Division behind the red-hot New Jersey Devils, but are just 4-3-3 in their last 10 games, and have dropped three straight games, all in overtime.
The Hurricanes' last win came on Nov. 14 against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Carolina is led by Martin Necas in points (23) and assists (14), while Andrei Svechnikov's 13 goals lead the way. Those 13 tallies are also tied with Buffalo's Tage Thompson for fourth-most in the league, and 10 of them have come at even strength, which is also tied for the league lead.
With goalie Frederik Andersen currently on Injured Reserve, the Hurricanes' tandem of Pyotr Kochetkov and former Coyote Antti Raanta are holding serve between the pipes. Kochetkov is 2-0-2 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .914 save percentage, while Raanta has posted a 2.53 GAA and .902 SV% in seven games.
The 23-year-old Kochetkov signed a four-year contract extension earlier on Wednesday, which will keep him in Carolina through 2026-27. He is 5-0-2 in seven career NHL games.
Player to Watch: Svechnikov has 20 points in 19 games with the Hurricanes this season, and most recently recorded a goal and an assist against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday.
