Sunday afternoon hockey in Raleigh!
This is the gameday hub, where you can find all the latest news and information you need to know for tonight's cross-conference match-up between the Nashville Predators and Carolina Hurricanes. Make Hurricanes.com a regular stop throughout the day, as we update this hub with notes, videos, photos and more as puck drop draws near.
With the 1 p.m. matinee puck drop, the Hurricanes will not hold a morning skate, but we'll have your gameday updates right here, as always.
Last updated: 12:35 p.m.
Gameday: Predators vs. Hurricanes
By
Michael Smith @MSmithCanes / CarolinaHurricanes.com
CANES LINES: WARM-UPS
12:35 p.m.
Here's how you can expect the Canes to line up today.
Aho-Staal-Teravainen
McGinn-Rask-Lindholm
Skinner-Ryan-Williams
Nordstrom-Kruger-Jooris
Slavin-Pesce
Fleury-Faulk
Hanifin-van Riemsdyk
Darling
Ward
The puck drops in 30 minutes!
BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF NORTH CAROLINA TOOLS TO VICTORY
12:10 p.m.
TV's Mike Maniscalco sets the table for this afternoon's cross-conference match-up with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina three Tools to Victory.
DARLING STARTS, JOORIS IN
11:10 a.m.
Josh Jooris will draw into the lineup in place of Phil Di Giuseppe today, head coach Bill Peters said. The move gives the Hurricanes a right-handed faceoff option on the fourth line, and in a game where the second-ranked (Nashville) and fifth-ranked (Carolina) faceoff teams square off, the battle in the dot is heightened.
"We've got to dig in. It's going to be a real good battle," Peters said. "Two good faceoff teams, and that's going to lead to a lot of puck possession. That could be the difference in the game."
Scott Darling will get the start in net for the Canes.
Today's matinee closes out a four-game homestand for the Hurricanes, a chance for them to finish 2-2-0 in this segment.
"I know we're focused on today. We had a real good day yesterday in preparation," Peters said. "We've got to find a way to get a win against a real quality team. That's our focus here today. We've got to build on the way we played in our last game."
CANES HOST DEFENDING WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPS
12:00 a.m.
A four-game homestand will end for the Carolina Hurricanes when they square off with the defending Western Conference champion Nashville Predators in a Sunday matinee.
After posting a 5-1-1 record in a seven-game stretch, the Canes have since dropped two straight and allowed 11 goals.
"We've got to tighten up," head coach Bill Peters said. "It's one thing to outshoot teams. It's one thing to give up minimal shots or reasonably minimal shots, but the quality of the shot has to be different. The puck management has to be different. The urgency in situations needs to be a little heightened."
While the Canes were unable to earn any points in either of their games surrounding Thanksgiving, the efforts seen were wildly different. The Hurricanes were flat in an uninspiring 6-1 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday. The Canes played with much more determination on Friday in a 5-4 loss to Toronto.
In that game, the Canes attempted to erase a three-goal deficit in the third period but fell just short of finding the equalizer.
"There are a few guys in the room between the second and third that said we're not quitting on this game. We did that against the Rangers, and we weren't going to do that again," Jordan Staal recounted after the game. "We made a push in the third. It was good to see everyone working and battling but tough to come up short."
Now, the Predators make their first and only visit to Raleigh this season. Nashville is currently riding a four-game winning streak and has posted a 9-2-0 record in the month of November.
"They're playing real well," Peters said. "The Turris trade seems to have given them more balance up front, and they're very deep down the middle. They're very aggressive in the way they play, especially in the offensive zone."
If lines utilized in practice on Saturday are any indication, the Canes could be looking to make a pair of lineup swaps. In practice, Josh Jooris drew in for Phil Di Giuseppe on the fourth line, and Klas Dahlbeck replaced Trevor van Riemsdyk on the blue line.
CANESPR NOTES: Jeff Skinner led the team with three goals in two games against the Predators in 2016-17. Skinner has 14 points (8g, 6a) and five multi-point games in 11 career games against Nashville. … The Hurricanes have outshot their opponents in 17 of their first 21 games of the season.
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