RALEIGH, N.C. - The Carolina Hurricanes are expected to turn to Brandon Bussi between the pipes when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
The 27-year-old is 13-1-1 in his first 15 NHL appearances, becoming the team's ace in net. His 2.08 goals against average currently ranks as the second-best among all qualified netminders entering Thursday's play, trailing only Colorado's Mackenzie Blackwood (2.07).
Ahead of him, forward lines were shuffled from the groups that started Tuesday's loss in Pittsburgh, but the overall cast of skaters remains the same. Jesperi Kotkaniemi is slated to skate in his 500th career game against the club that drafted him in 2018, drawing in alongside Taylor Hall and Mark Jankowski. On the blue line, K'Andre Miller is set for a milestone of his own, with his 400th NHL game on deck this evening.
Tonight's Projected Lineup...
Forwards
Ehlers - Aho - Svechnikov
Robinson - Stankoven - Blake
Carrier - Staal - Martinook
Hall - Jankowski - Kotkaniemi
Defense
Nikishin - Walker
Miller - Chatfield
Reilly - Nystrom
Starting Goaltender
Bussi
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Injuries
Shayne Gostisbehere (Lower-Body Injury | Day-To-Day)
Seth Jarvis (Rib Injury | Week-to-Week as of Dec. 22)
Pyotr Kochetkov (Hip Surgery | "Likely Out For The Year" as of Dec. 29)
Charles Alexis Legault (Hand Injury | Out 3-4 Months From Nov. 11)
Jaccob Slavin (Upper-Body Injury | Week-to-Week as of Dec. 22)
Scratches
Noah Philp
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PP1: Aho, Blake, Staal/Ehlers and Svechnikov with Nikishin
PP2: Ehlers, Hall and Stankoven with Miller and Walker
