Preview: April 16 at Montreal

MONTREAL - The Carolina Hurricanes open a back-to-back to close out the regular season, first with a meeting against the Montreal Canadiens.

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When: Wednesday, April 16

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. ET

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Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

Odds at Time of Publishing, via Fanatics Sportsbook: Canes -145

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Canes Record: 47-28-5 (99 Points, 2nd - Metropolitan Division)

Canes Last Game: 4-1 Loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, April 13

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Canadiens Record: 39-31-11 (89 Points, 5th - Atlantic Division)

Canadiens Last Game: 4-3 Loss (SO) to the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday, April 14

Last Game...

• The Canes were all over the Maple Leafs to start on Sunday, but had the game slip away from them after that, eventually resulting in a 4-1 defeat.
• Sebastian Aho scored the lone goal for the team, a third-period power-play tally.

Previous Meetings vs. MTL...

• March 28: Jackson Blake's first career three-point game led the Canes to a 4-1 victory in Raleigh.
• February 25: Sam Montembault shut out the Canes, stopping 20/20 in a 4-0 win for his team at Centre Bell.

Who's Not Playing Tonight?

• With their first-round matchup against the New Jersey Devils already locked up, the Canes will rest some of their stars tonight. Rod Brind'Amour did not specify who following practice on Tuesday, but did indicate that Jordan Martinook, who did not play on Sunday or practice on Tuesday, would probably be one of them.
• He also mentioned that it is "unlikely" Alexander Nikishin debuts for the Canes this week, as he still goes through the process of obtaining U.S. and Canadian visas.

A Look At The Youth...

• Four players who are expected to be in the lineup tonight are Bradly Nadeau, Skyler Brind'Amour, Domenick Fensore, and Riley Stillman, all recalled from Chicago on Tuesday night.
• Nadeau leads the Wolves and all AHL rookies with 30 goals this season. It will be the second NHL game for Carolina's first-round pick in 2023, after he made his debut in last year's regular season finale.
• Brind'Amour ranks third on the Wolves with his 16 goals. It will be his NHL debut.
• It will also be Fensore's NHL debut. In his second year in Chicago, he ranks second among the team's defensemen with 32 points, trailing only Scott Morrow.
• Riley Stillman has played three games for the Canes already this year, each with their own interesting twist. He fought Sam Carrick in New York in his team debut, played just 1:52 as the team's seventh defenseman in Montreal on Feb. 25, and then took a skate to the face on his first shift Mar. 6, resulting in his night being limited to just 18 seconds.

In Net...

• Pyotr Kochetkov (27-15-3 | 2.59 GAA | .898 SV%) is expected to start tonight after Frederik Andersen (13-7-1 | 2.29 GAA | .907 SV%) got the nod in net on Sunday.
• Kochetkov earned a 28-save win over the Rangers on Saturday, getting back on track after back-to-back losses. Tonight is expected to be his final start of the regular season, and he enters with one career appearance against Montreal, a 26-save shutout last March.

On The Other Side...

• The Canadiens will once again try to lock up a playoff spot tonight, needing just one point to secure themselves in the Eastern Conference's second Wild Card spot.
• Seeking to return to the postseason for the first time since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, the team received a massive jolt on Monday when 2024 fifth-overall pick Ivan Demidov made his NHL debut. A former teammate of Canes' prospect Alexander Nikishin with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, Demidov recorded a goal and an assist in his first game.
• Rookie defenseman Lane Hutson set a new franchise record on Monday, recording his 65th point of the season, now the most by a first-year defenseman in Habs history.

Injury Updates

• Forward Jordan Martinook (undisclosed) is not expected to play tonight. He did not play on Sunday vs. Toronto and did not practice on Tuesday.
• Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere has missed the last three games due to a back injury. Rod Brind'Amour said on Sunday that he expected him to play tonight.
• Forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi has missed the last four games after sustaining an undisclosed injury in Boston on April 5. Rod Brind'Amour said on Sunday that he expected him to play tonight.
• Forward Jesper Fast was ruled out for the 2024-25 season in August after having neck surgery.

What Are We Wearing?

• The Canes will wear their white uniforms. To view the team's full 2024-25 uniform schedule, click here.

What's Next After This Game?

• The Canes will fly to Ottawa post-game before concluding their regular season on Thursday against the Senators.
• Next Game: Thursday, April 17 at Ottawa | 7:00 p.m.
• Next Home Game: Date TBA | Round 1, Game 1 vs. New Jersey | Time TBD | Tickets | Parking