The Carolina Hurricanes are set to face the St. Louis Blues tonight at the Enterprise Arena following a tough overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings. With a record of 28-14-4, the Hurricanes are currently riding a five-game point streak and have posted a respectable 6-3-1 record over their last ten games.
The Blues, however, are struggling, having lost three consecutive games and sitting at 17-21-8 overall. They have a recent record of 4-6-0 in their past ten matchups, which has raised concerns about their performance as they enter this encounter.
Expected lineups for the Blues include Otto Stenberg centering Brayden Schenn and Jimmy Snuggerud, followed by a line of Jake Neighbours, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Jordan Kyrou. Pavel Buchnevich, Nick Bjugstad, and Jonatan Berggren will round out another line, with Alexey Toropchenko, Oskar Sundqvist, and Nathan Walker making up the fourth unit. On defense, Cam Fowler pairs with Colton Parayko, while Tyler Tucker and Justin Faulk take another pairing, and Logan Mailloux teams up with Matthew Kessel.
Fans hoping to see goaltender Jordan Binnington will need to wait, as Joel Hofer is projected to start in net for the Blues. Compounding their issues, Robert Thomas, who leads the team with 33 points in 42 games, will not be playing due to injury.
The Hurricanes will look to rebound from their loss with their lineup, which may see William Carrier return after being absent last night. Key players include Svechnikov, Aho, and Ehlers, with Brandon Bussi taking the helm in goal. Bussi has been in exceptional form, boasting a 16-2-1 record.
Tonight’s game is scheduled for 7:30 PM Eastern time and will be available on ESPN+/Hulu. Fans can also check out the Hurricanes’ preview for additional insights on the matchup. With both teams at different points in their respective seasons, this game provides an opportunity for the Hurricanes to strengthen their position in the standings while the Blues search for answers to turn their season around.