Preseason Preview: Capitals vs. Hurricanes
Canes close out six-game exhibition schedule
by Michael Smith @MSmithCanes / CarolinaHurricanes.com
It's almost time for the Carolina Hurricanes to drop the puck on the 2019-20 regular season.
But before that, they have to drop the puck in their exhibition finale against the Washington Capitals on Sunday afternoon at PNC Arena.
The game, which features free admission as a part of the annual Caniac Carnival, is a quasi-rematch of the First Round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. But, there are regulars from either side not dressing, including Jordan Staal and Alexander Ovechkin.
Even still, this marks a final dress rehearsal for the Canes with Opening Night just four short days away.
"If you want to be the team you want to be, you have to have good habits. It starts now," Staal said after Friday's game. "It starts through practice and all the way through the regular season and hopefully the playoffs."
The Canes will roll with a top line that features Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen. With Staal sitting this one out, Erik Haula will compete in his third preseason game on the second line, centering Nino Niederreiter and Brock McGinn. Julien Gauthier will dress for the sixth time this preseason and skate alongside Jordan Martinook and Lucas Wallmark.
In his second game with his new team, Joel Edmundson will again pair with Brett Pesce on defense.
"I thought Joel had a really good game for stepping in, not really having a good understanding of what we're doing. He seemed to pick it up pretty quick," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said after Edmundson made his debut with the Canes on Friday. "I thought he was a pleasant surprise there."
Hurricanes Lineup
Svechnikov-Aho-Teravainen
Niederreiter-Haula-McGinn
Martinook-Wallmark-Gauthier
Foegele-Bishop-Gibbons
Slavin-Hamilton
Edmundson-Pesce
Fleury-McKeown
Mrazek
Reimer
Watch: Hurricanes.com (geo-restricted to local broadcast territory)
Listen: WRALSportsFan.com