RALEIGH, N.C. - The Carolina Hurricanes expect to have Shayne Gostisbehere back on the blue line as they take on the Utah Mammoth at Lenovo Center this evening.
The veteran blueliner has missed the team's last five games with a lingering lower-body concern that has now cost him 17 total contests this season. But, working with Alexander Nikishin at this morning's skate, the team's highest-scoring defenseman seems ready to rejoin the lineup.
On the back end, Brandon Bussi operated in the traditional starter's crease this morning, which would buck the recent trend of alternating starts between him and Frederik Andersen. With four days since the team's last game, though, a well-rested Bussi could look to become the fastest goaltender in NHL history to reach 20 career wins if he leads the team out for his 24th game tonight.
Tonight's Projected Lineup...
Forwards
Svechnikov - Aho - Jarvis
Hall - Stankoven - Blake
Ehlers - Staal - Martinook
Carrier - Jankowski - Kotkaniemi
Defense
Slavin - Chatfield
Miller - Walker
Gostisbehere - Nikishin
Starting Goaltender
Bussi
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Injuries
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)
Noah Philp (Concussion Protocol | Skating As Of Jan. 23)
Eric Robinson (Upper-Body Injury | Out "For An Extended Period Of Time" as of Jan. 21)
Scratches
Joel Nystrom
Mike Reilly
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PP1: Aho, Ehlers (Staal), Jarvis, and Svechnikov with Gostisbehere
PP2: Blake, Hall, Jankowski, and Stankoven with Nikishin
Jordan Staal has been taking the faceoffs with the first power play unit. If he wins it, he'll stay on the ice. When the puck comes out of the zone, he jumps off, and Nikolaj Ehlers jumps on.
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(Note: The Hurricanes assigned Joel Nystrom and Noah Philp to the AHL's Chicago Wolves following the publication of this story.)
