RALEIGH, N.C. - Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is expected to make his second start of the season on Thursday when the Carolina Hurricanes host the Vancouver Canucks.
Kochetkov was victorious in his season debut on Saturday night in Philadelphia, making 16 saves on 18 shots. It was also the 27-year-old's first regular-season action in over nine months, returning from lower-body surgery last season.
In front of him, the team is expected to deploy the same lineup that picked up victories in its last two outings.
Sebastian Aho played a big part in both of those wins, recording three points in each contest. He also enters tonight with goals in three consecutive games, and his total of four ranks tied for fourth among all NHL skaters entering Thursday's play.
Find out if Aho can make it four games in a row tonight at 7 p.m. on Hurricanes Hockey Network.
---
Tonight's Projected Lineup...
Forwards
Carrier - Aho - Svechnikov
Hall - Stankoven - Blake
Ehlers - Staal - Martinook
Kotkaniemi - Jankowski - Robinson
Defense
Slavin - Chatfield
Miller - Walker
Gostisbehere - Reilly
Starting Goaltender
Kochetkov
---
Injuries
Seth Jarvis
Scratches
Nic Deslauriers
Juuso Valimaki
---
PP1: Aho, Blake, Ehlers (Staal), and Svechnikov with Gostisbehere
PP2: Ehlers, Hall, Jankowski (Staal), and Stankoven with Miller
Jordan Staal has been taking the faceoffs to start most power plays. 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 with the first unit. When with the second unit, Mark Jankowski jumps on when Staal goes off.
