Preview: October 29 vs. Columbus

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Carolina Hurricanes look to win a third straight game when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.

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When: Thursday, October 29

Where: Lenovo Center

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. ET

How To Watch: Hurricanes Hockey Network | Full Broadcast Info

Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

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Canes Record: 10-2-2 (22 Points - 1st, Metropolitan Division)

Canes Last Game: 2-1 Win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, Oct. 27

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Blue Jackets Record: 5-5-0 (10 Points - 7th, Metropolitan Division)

Blue Jackets Last Game: 4-3 Win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, Oct. 27

Last Time Out...

• After allowing a goal on the first shot allowed on Tuesday, the Canes battled from behind to take a 2-1 win over the Atlantic Division-leading Bruins.
• A tight game throughout, Jackson Blake netted the equalizer late in the first period, while Sebastian Aho was credited with the game-winner in the third.
• In net, Pyotr Kochetkov extended his season-starting win streak to eight, matching a franchise record set by Frederik Andersen to begin the 2021-22 season.

Trick Or Treat...

• Get into the Halloween spirit and trick-or-treat at tonight's game!
• Candy will be available at the South Plaza Party presented by Harris Teeter, pregame on the concourse with the Canes Crew, & at select concession stands throughout the evening.
• To learn more, click here.

Flying Fish...

• Sebastian Aho wrote another chapter to his best-ever start to a season with the game-winning goal on Tuesday, finding twine for the team-high-tying eighth time this year.
• Now with 19 points through 14 outings, should Aho find the scoresheet this evening, he'll become just the fifth player in team history (since relocation) to start a campaign with 20+ points in the first 15 games. The others: Martin Nečas (2024-25), Rod Brind'Amour (2007-08), Cory Stillman (2007-08) and Eric Staal (2005-06).

In Net...

• Following his eighth straight victory on Tuesday, would the Canes consider going back to Pyotr Kochetkov for a third consecutive start tonight? Co-leading the league with eight wins, his 1.62 goals against average ranks fourth and his .918 save percentage sits eighth among NHL netminders with at least five games played.
• Conversely, should the team elect to continue the rotation it has followed for five games before Kochetkov went back-to-back, Brandon Bussi would be in line for his third home-ice appearance this season. Bussi has helped the team take points in four of his six starts, most recently backstopping the team's 6-5 shootout loss in Edmonton.

On The Other Side...

• Not having the start to the season that they'd hoped, no team has scored fewer goals than the Blue Jackets (25).
• Their 30th-ranked power play sits at 11.1%, a large part of their struggles, and their penalty kill, coming in at 23rd (72.7%), hasn't been much better.
• One of their highlights has been faceoffs, winning 54.8% of their draws (T-3rd, NHL).
• In terms of individual success, forward Kent Johnson leads the way with 10 points in 10 games.

Injury Updates

• Forward Jordan Staal is expected to miss "anywhere from a month or two" after suffering a tear in his calf on Sunday, Oct. 11. He was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 15.
• Forward Taylor Hall suffered an upper-body injury on Oct. 13, and was set to return to the lineup on Oct. 27, but "tweaked something else" at morning skate that day, and is now "out for a little while" again.

What Are We Wearing?

• The Canes are scheduled to wear their black uniforms. To view the full home uniform schedule, click here.

What's Next After This Game?

• The Canes are scheduled to practice on Friday and Saturday. They'll be back in game action at Lenovo Center on Sunday, taking on the Winnipeg Jets.
• Next Game: Sunday, Nov. 1 vs. Winnipeg | 1:00 p.m. ET | Kids Day | Hurricanes Hockey Network | Tickets | Parking