Gameday: Hurricanes at Bruins

BOSTON - December!
This is the gameday hub, where you can find all the latest news and information related to tonight's tilt between the Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins in one handy location. Make this a regular stop throughout the day, as we update it with notes, photos and more as puck drop draws near.
We'll bring you the latest right here from the Hurricanes' morning skate, which begins at 11:30 a.m. at TD Garden.
Last updated: 6:20 p.m.

HANIFIN BLOSSOMS IN FIRST 100 GAMES
6:20 p.m.
Noah Hanifin won't be 20 years old for another month, but based on the way he carries himself on and off the ice, you'd be hard-pressed to tell.
Hanifin's maturity both at and away from the rink has earned him the trust of the coaching staff and allowed him to blossom as a professional hockey player in his first 100 games.
"It's been a lot of learning, just from the first game of last year to playing the 100th the other day, it's been great. I've learned so much from the coaching staff and the players, all the veterans around me," Hanifin said. "I think I've definitely developed a lot as a person and a player in the year that I've been here. It's been great, and hopefully I have a lot more games to play and a lot more learning to do. It's been a good start."
"As a professional, he's a very mature kid," assistant coach Steve Smith said. "He tries to do the right things on a daily basis. He works hard in practice, and he works on his game continually. He's very open to new concepts."
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BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF NORTH CAROLINA TOOLS TO VICTORY
3:45 p.m.
Mike Maniscalco brings us tonight's Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina three Tools to Victory.
1. No Turnovers
It doesn't matter where on the ice. The Bruins are able to turn poor passes into scoring chances. Protecting the puck is high priority.
2. Win the Goalie Match-Up
Cam Ward had a fantastic November, and he needs to carry that over into December. After being lit up by the Rangers on Nov. 5, Tuukka Rask has been good in November. Whichever netminder carries over their play will have a big edge tonight.
3. Finish What You Start
More than a few times this year the Canes have started better than their opponent. If the Hurricanes get off to a better start than the B's tonight they have to close it out. No big gaffes in the third to let Boston back in it if Carolina is up after 40.
PREGAME: PETERS
2:15 p.m.
Head coach Bill Peters spoke with the gathered media in Boston after his team's morning skate at TD Garden. Here are a few highlights.
On Brock McGinn returning to the lineup: "We tried to get him a little healthier than he is. He's not going to get to 100 percent probably from now to the end of the year, but he should be closer. It's as much time as we can afford to give him right now. We miss him. We miss him on the PK. We need his energy, his forecheck and his puck pressure."
On Noah Hanifin and his return to Boston: "I think he's been good all along. … I expect him to be real good here. I remember the last game he enjoyed himself."
On Hanifin's success as a young defenseman: "You look at all these young guys coming in, coaches are giving them opportunity and they're running with it. … All these young kids have done a good job with the opportunity they've been given."

CANES LINES: MORNING SKATE
11:35 a.m.
Minimal changes to the Hurricanes' lineup tonight, it appears, the notable one being Brock McGinn drawing back into the lineup in place of Andrej Nestrasil.
Skinner-Rask-Lindholm
Aho-Teravainen-Stempniak
McGinn-Ryan-Di Giuseppe
Nordstrom-McClement-Stalberg
Hainsey-Faulk
Slavin-Pesce
Hanifin-Tennyson
Ward
Leighton

CANES OPEN DECEMBER IN BOSTON
6:00 a.m.
Betwixt two visits to Madison Square Garden, the Carolina Hurricanes will make their first and only stop of the season in Boston.
The Hurricanes are coming off a frustrating 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers, a game in which Carolina led 2-0 thanks to a pair of goals from former Ranger Viktor Stalberg. New York then tallied three unanswered goals, including the game-winner on the power play in the final six minutes of regulation.
"You're going to get calls, and you're going to get them against you. It is what it is," Stalberg said. "We're not happy about it, but we should find a way to kill it off."
The Canes held a 2-1 lead heading into the final period, but Rick Nash's goal just 24 seconds in changed the tide of the game. The Hurricanes are now winless in their last 12 games (0-8-4) in the Big Apple.
"I thought we skated real good early. I thought we skated and made plays. We stood around a little bit more as the game went along, we didn't make many plays, we weren't as dangerous and we spent too much time defending," head coach Bill Peters said. "I didn't think we were dangerous in the third period. I didn't think we generated much. We got on our heels a little bit. They scored on the first shift of the period, and we were on our heels. We weren't dangerous."
The Hurricanes open the month of December in the midst of a stretch that has them play nine of 11 games on the road. Before facing off with the Rangers again on Saturday afternoon, the Canes make a visit to TD Garden to face the 12-10-1 (25 points) Bruins. Boston has won just one of its last five games but earned a point in a 3-2 shootout loss to Philadelphia on Tuesday.
"We've got to continue to learn as we go. Obviously this is one that I don't think too many guys will be happy the way it unfolded over 60 minutes," Peters said after Tuesday's loss in New York. "I thought we were in good shape at the beginning of the game, played real well and did a lot of good things. We just needed to continue that and sustain quality play for 60 minutes."
CANESPR NOTES: The Hurricanes won both games played at TD Garden in the 2015-16 season and have earned points in six of the last 10 games in Boston (5-4-1). … Noah Hanifin has recorded three points (1g, 2a) in three career games against Bruins and tallied the game-deciding goal in the shootout on April 5, 2016.
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