Preseason Preview: September 26 at Tampa Bay

TAMPA, Fla. - The Carolina Hurricanes head south for their first road game of preseason play, taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning at Benchmark International Arena.

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When: Friday, Sept. 26

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN+, Hurricanes.com | (Please note that the web stream will be geo-restricted to those in the Raleigh and Tampa broadcast markets.)

Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

Last Game...

• Goals by Ryan Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi had the Canes cruising through two periods, but Florida roared back in the third to take a 4-2 win on Wednesday.
• Frederik Andersen stopped all eight shots he faced through 40 minutes as the veteran made his preseason debut.

Veteran Rule...

• As a reminder, NHL teams must dress at least eight “veterans” in each preseason contest. “Veterans” are skaters who played 30 NHL games the previous season, goalies who dressed in 50 NHL games or played in 30 NHL games the previous year, any player who has played 100+ NHL games, or a current year first-round pick.
• Tonight's veteran group includes William Carrier, who is set to log his first minutes of this preseason.

Three For Three...

• Three players - Kevin Labanc, Bradly Nadeau and Givani Smith - are set to suit up for their third straight game to open preseason.
• Labanc and Smith are in camp on PTOs, with the latter earning praise from Rod Brind'Amour after dropping the gloves in each of the first two games. Labanc, meanwhile, has picked up points in both contests, with assists on goals by Ryan Suzuki and Logan Stankoven.
• For Nadeau, it's clear that the organization wants to see the 2023 first-rounder in as many game situations as possible as he enters his second pro season. After becoming the fifth U20 player in AHL history to score 30+ goals last season, Nadeau is knocking on the NHL door and will look to make the most of his next opportunity this evening.

In Net...

• Tonight will feature one or both of Amir Miftakhov and Nikita Quapp between the pipes for Carolina. Both players signed with the team over the summer, with Quapp inking a deal in May and Miftakhov joining in July.
• Miftakhov will be looking to bounce back from a tough result on Wednesday, when he conceded three goals in the third as the Canes fell to Florida at home. Quapp, meanwhile, would be in line for his Hurricanes preseason debut.
• As for Pyotr Kochetkov, the only netminder in camp who has yet to be named in a preseason lineup, Rod Brind'Amour said on Thursday that the 26-year-old is dealing with a minor injury, having "tweaked something".

Injury Updates

• Defenseman Jaccob Slavin skated with Group C1 for the first time in training camp on Thursday, Sept. 25. He'd been held out due to a minor injury prior to that. Working in a no-contact sweater, Rod Brind'Amour had previously said that the defenseman may not play in preseason.
• Defenseman Jalen Chatfield has not practiced since Friday, Sept. 19 due to a minor injury of his own. Like Slavin, Brind'Amour said he would not be concerned if Chatfield does not play in any preseason games.
• Forward Juha Jaaska has been dealing with a minor injury since Sept. 21. He is considered day-to-day.

What Are We Wearing?

• The Canes are scheduled to wear their new white uniforms for all six preseason games.

What's Next After This Game?

• The Canes are scheduled to return to Raleigh immediately following tonight's tilt and resume practice on Saturday ahead of their final home preseason game against Nashville on Sunday.
• Next Game: Sunday, Sept. 28 vs. Nashville | 7:00 p.m. ET | Tickets | Parking