LAS VEGAS - Just hours before puck drop for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, the Carolina Hurricanes' starting netminder remains a mystery.
Although asked multiple times pre-game by the media, Rod Brind'Amour did not reveal any information about his lineup, saying, "You'll see when we get out there."
36-year-old Frederik Andersen has started all 16 postseason games for the team to this point, but was pulled in favor of Brandon Bussi for the third period and overtime sessions of Game 3. The first-year NHLer made 18 saves in relief, his first action since April 14 - the team's regular season finale.
Both on the table for tonight, Andersen is 2-0 after losses in the playoffs, most recently backstopping the Canes' Game 2 win over Vegas. Bussi was a spectacular 31-6-2 during the regular season and looked fresh on Saturday.
In front of whoever is in net, Jordan Staal will look to score for the fourth straight game. Should he do so, he'll become the fourth player in the expansion era (since 1967-68) to score a goal in each of the first four games of a Stanley Cup Final, joining Mike Bossy (4 GP in 1982 w/ NYI), Steve Payne (4 GP in 1981 w/ MNS) and Johnny Bucyk (4 GP in 1970 w/ BOS).
Staal is expected to center Nikolaj Ehlers and Seth Jarvis, while Sebastian Aho centered Andrei Svechnikov and Jordan Martinook at Monday's practice. William Carrier, who did not finish Game 3 due to injury, was a full participant in yesterday's skate.
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Tonight's Projected Lineup...
Forwards
Ehlers - Staal - Jarvis
Hall - Stankoven - Blake
Svechnikov - Aho - Martinook
Carrier - Jankowski - Robinson
Defense
Slavin - Chatfield
Miller - Walker
Gostisbehere - Nikishin
Starting Goaltender
TBD
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Injuries
N/A
Scratches
Nicolas Deslauriers
Pyotr Kochetkov
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
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 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. If he wins it for the second unit, Mark Jankowski jumps on when Staal goes off.
