SUNRISE, Fla. - The Carolina Hurricanes will turn back to Frederik Andersen for Game 4 as they try to keep their season alive against the Florida Panthers.
After going with Pyotr Kochetkov on Saturday, Rod Brind'Amour is electing to go back to the man who had been the best goalie in the Stanley Cup Playoffs through two rounds. Andersen entered the series with a postseason-leading 1.36 goals against average and a .937 save percentage in nine games, but after Game 1 didn't go his way and the Canes were so bad in Game 2 that "it wouldn't have mattered who was in net," Brind'Amour said he wanted to try and change the vibe for the third game of the series. Now, Andersen gets another chance after a brief reset.
"He's been great for us all year," Brind'Amour said following morning skate. "He had a nice couple of days off, so it makes sense."
In front of him, the team is expected to be without Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker again due to undisclosed injuries. Neither took part in morning skate, and yesterday Brind'Amour declared them "doubtful." That means Scott Morrow and Alexander Nikishin will likely both be in the lineup for a second consecutive night.
In a Game 3 that didn't have many positives for Carolina, Nikishin was one of them, looking much more comfortable in his second North American showing.
"I was really proud of how, from one game to the next, the change was something to like. We've got a good one there. Morrow hung in there, too, so it's good on those guys," Brind'Amour said.
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Tonight's Betting Odds...
Odds at Time of Publishing, provided by Fanatics Sportsbook: Canes +155
To view more Fanatics Sportsbook betting lines, click here.
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Tonight's Projected Lineup...
Forwards
Hall - Aho - Jarvis
Svechnikov - Kotkaniemi - Blake
Martinook - Staal - Stankoven
Robinson - Jankowski - Carrier
Defense
Slavin - Burns
Orlov - Nikishin
Gostisbehere - Morrow
Goaltenders
Andersen
[Backup: Kochetkov]
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Injuries
Jalen Chatfield (Undisclosed Injury | Day-To-Day)
Jesper Fast (Neck | Out For 2024-25 Season)
Sean Walker (Undisclosed Injury | Day-To-Day)
Scratches
Juha Jaaska
Tyson Jost
Jack Roslovic
Ty Smith
Riley Stillman
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PP1: Aho, Blake, Jarvis, and Svechnikov with Gostisbehere
PP2: Hall, Kotkaniemi, and Stankoven with Burns and Morrow
