SALT LAKE CITY – The Carolina Hurricanes “will not go with a full lineup” again on Saturday when they take on the Utah Mammoth.
Rod Brind’Amour gave that description pre-game when meeting with reporters at Delta Center, but did not confirm who will and won’t play for the group. “We still look at it the same; we’re trying to win,” he continued.
With the Metropolitan Division title clinched and two games to go in the regular season after today, several of the players recalled from the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves are expected to play again.
Josiah Slavin made his Hurricanes regular-season debut on Thursday in Chicago and was joined by Skyler Brind’Amour, Charles Alexis Legault, and Bradly Nadeau. Sebastian Aho, Jalen Chatfield, Seth Jarvis, Jordan Martinook, Jordan Staal, and Andrei Svechnikov all sat out for undisclosed reasons.
Behind the cast of skaters, should the goaltending rotation continue, Brandon Bussi would be in line to start. A winner of five consecutive appearances, he picked up his 30th win of the season on Tuesday against Boston. On the other hand, if the Canes turn back to Frederik Andersen, he’d be seeking his third win in four starts after turning aside 23 shots in Chicago on Thursday.
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Tonight’s Projected Lineup…
Forwards
(shrugs)
(all players on the trip are listed below)
Svechnikov – Aho – Jarvis
Hall – Stankoven – Blake
Ehlers – Staal – Martinook
Carrier – Jankowski – Deslauriers
Slavin – Brind’Amour – Nadeau
Defense
(shrugs again)
(all players on the trip are listed below)
Slavin – Chatfield
Miller – Walker
Gostisbehere – Nikishin
Reilly – Legault
Starting Goaltender
Bussi
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Injuries
Pyotr Kochetkov (Hip Surgery | No Timetable, Currently On Conditioning Loan With AHL Chicago)
Scratches
TBD
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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.
Additionally, these units are likely to change due to the absence of many lineup regulars.
