Preview: April 14 at NY Islanders

ELMONT, N.Y. - The Carolina Hurricanes wrap up their regular season against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena.

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When: Tuesday, April 14

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. ET

Watch: FanDuel Sports Network South, FanDuel Sports Network App | Learn More

Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

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Canes Record: 52-22-7 (111 Points, 1st - Metropolitan Division)

Canes Last Game: 3-2 Loss (S0) to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, April 13

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Islanders Record: 43-33-5 (91 Points, 6th - Metropolitan Division)

Islanders Last Game: 4-1 Loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday, April 12

Last Time Out...

• The Carolina Hurricanes earned the Eastern Conference title on Monday, nabbing the necessary point in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
• Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and an assist, setting up Bradly Nadeau's third career NHL tally.
• Brandon Bussi suffered his first loss since Mar. 17.

Season Series vs. NYI...

• Oct. 30: The Canes scored three goals in both the first and third periods en route to a 6-2 win over the Islanders in Raleigh.
• Apr. 4: Seth Jarvis had three points in a 4-3 victory for Carolina at Lenovo Center.

Number One Spot...

• The Canes earned their 111th point of the season last night, securing home ice through the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It is their first conference title in franchise history.
• Opening the postseason at Lenovo Center this weekend, the Canes will either take on the Boston Bruins or the Ottawa Senators. Dates, times, and broadcast info are expected to be announced in the coming days. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here.

Welcome Back & Welcome Up...

• Just before last night's puck drop in Philadelphia, the Canes announced the recalls of goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov and prospect Felix Unger Sorum from the Chicago Wolves.
• Kochetkov returns after previously being labeled "probably out for the year" on Dec. 29. Steadily working his way back behind the scenes, the netminder made a pair of starts while on a conditioning loan to the Chicago Wolves last week.
• Unger Sorum, meanwhile, is on deck to potentially make his NHL debut after authoring a spectacular sophomore season in the AHL. Leading the Wolves with 63 points in 69 games, the 20-year-old has already tripled his rookie campaign production.

In Net...

• With Brandon Bussi starting last night in Philadelphia, Frederik Andersen would normally be in line to have the nod tonight. However, the million-dollar question is, how does Pyotr Kochetkov factor into this mix?
• Undergoing a pair of lower-body surgeries to end 2025, the 26-year-old resumed practicing with the Hurricanes earlier this month and played a total of 60 minutes for the Chicago Wolves (AHL) over two games this weekend. If that's enough of a sample size, could he be in line to play with the Canes for the first time since Dec. 20?
• If not, the group would certainly go with the veteran Andersen, who turned in one of his best performances of the season on Saturday in Utah, turning away 26/27.

On The Other Side...

• Eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday, the Islanders will miss the postseason for a second consecutive season. With a 1-6 record in their last seven games, it's a squandered opportunity for a club that acquired veterans like Brayden Schenn and Carson Soucy ahead of the trade deadline.
• Making a surprising coaching change earlier this month, new bench boss Peter DeBoer will have to make evaluations on a small sample size as the franchise begins its summer following tonight's contest.
• One sign of a bright future on the Island? Rookie defenseman and Calder Trophy hopeful Matthew Schaefer, who tied the NHL record for goals by a first-year blueliner with his 23rd tuck of the season last Thursday. The former Erie Otter found the scoresheet in both games against Carolina (1G, 1A) earlier this year.

Injury Updates...

• Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (hip surgery) has been out since Dec. 20. He resumed skating with teammates on Apr. 4 and made a conditioning start with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League on Apr. 10.

What Are We Wearing?

• The Canes will wear their WHITE uniforms for the contest. To view the team's full 2025-26 uniform schedule, click here.

What's Next After This Game?

• The Canes will fly home post-game and are scheduled to be off on Wednesday. They're scheduled to practice on Thursday, as they await the announcement of the Round 1 schedule from the NHL.
• Next Game: Round 1, Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs | TIME TBD | TV TBD | Tickets | Parking