Preview: December 30 at Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH - The Carolina Hurricanes will try to earn a third win in a row on Tuesday as they go head-to-head with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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When: Tuesday, Dec. 30

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: 25-11-3 (51 Points, 1st - Metropolitan Division)

Canes Last Game: 3-2 Win (OT) over the New York Rangers on Dec. 29

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Penguins Record: 15-12-9 (41 Points, 7th - Metropolitan Division)

Penguins Last Game: 7-3 Win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Dec. 28

Last Time Out...

• The Canes didn't hold a lead at any point on Monday, yet found a way to take a 3-2 victory from the New York Rangers.
• Sebastian Aho (1G, 1A) and Jordan Martinook helped the group play catch-up after falling behind, and in the bonus period, Jackson Blake's first overtime goal as an NHLer gave his team their 25th win of the season.
• Nikolaj Ehlers factored in with a pair of assists, helping the power play record their 10th and 11th goals in the last 12 games.
• Brandon Bussi stopped 17 out of 19 in net, improving to a ridiculous 13-1-1 in his first 15 NHL appearances.

Injury Woes...

• Already without stars Seth Jarvis and Jaccob Slavin, the Canes were dealt another pair of blows on Monday.
• Pre-game, Rod Brind'Amour broke news to the media that goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is expected to be out for the rest of the year. Set to undergo hip surgery, it takes the Canes from a three-headed monster in net down to Brandon Bussi and Frederik Andersen.
• On top of that, the leading point producer on the blue line, Shayne Gostisbehere, is now down with a lower-body injury of his own. Missing last night's contest, there was no update available post-game.
• Carolina enters Tuesday with 168 man-games lost due to injury.

In Net...

• With Brandon Bussi playing last night at home and Pyotr Kochetkov expected to be out for the season, Frederik Andersen is in line to start tonight.
• The veteran has had a tough stretch as of late, going 0-5-2 in his last seven outings. However, despite the results, the 36-year-old has remained confident that the tide will turn for him soon.
• "The way I look at it, I've played better hockey, and I've had worse numbers," he said following a recent outing. "It doesn't look good, obviously. We're not getting the wins with me in the net lately, but I still feel like I've got my game. Maybe not perfectly where I want it, but like I've said, I've had worse stretches where things have looked better, and I've gotten more wins. That's how I look at it. I try to be positive and move on."

On The Other Side...

• Following an eight-game skid from Dec. 7-23, the Penguins have taken wins in two of their last three contests.
• 38-year-old Sidney Crosby remains producing at a high rate, already hitting the 20-goal mark this season. Pacing the unit both there and with 39 points, he's played a big role in the power play, which currently sits atop the Eastern Conference (29.7%).
• If there's one area where the Penguins have had some trouble this season, it's in net. Swapping Tristan Jarry for Stuart Skinner earlier this month, Skinner is 0-3 in his first three starts with the team. Arturs Silovs (.888 SV%) is 6-5-6 this season, while rookie Sergei Murashov is 1-1-2.

Injury Updates...

• Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere did not play last night due to a lower-body injury. There was no update available post-game.
• Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is set to undergo hip surgery and was declared "probably out for the year" by Rod Brind'Amour on Dec. 29.
• Defenseman Jaccob Slavin suffered an upper-body injury on Dec. 19 in Florida. He was labeled as "week-to-week" and placed on injured reserve on Dec. 22.
• Forward Seth Jarvis was also injured during overtime on Dec. 19, suffering an upper-body injury. He was placed on IR on Dec. 20 and labeled as "week-to-week" on Dec. 22.
• Defenseman Charles Alexis Legault suffered a cut to his hand via a skate blade on Nov. 9 and underwent surgery to repair lacerated tendons on Nov. 10. He is expected to miss three to four months.

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 practice on Wednesday. They'll return to game action at Lenovo Center on Thursday against Montreal.
• Next Home Game: Thursday, Jan. 1 vs. Montreal | 7:00 p.m. ET | FDSNSO | Tickets | Parking