Preview: December 20 at Washington

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Carolina Hurricanes start a three-game road trip in the nation's capital on Friday night against the Washington Capitals.

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When: Friday, December 20

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. ET

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Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

Odds at Time of Publishing, via Fanatics Sportsbook: Canes -140

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Canes Record: 20-10-1 (41 Points, 3rd - Metropolitan Division)

Canes Last Game: 4-0 Win over the New York Islanders on Friday, December 17

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Capitals Record: 21-8-2 (44 Points, 2nd - Metropolitan Division)

Capitals Last Game: 3-2 Loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, December 17

Last Game...

• Pyotr Kochetkov was flawless on Tuesday night in Raleigh, stopping all 32 shots faced en route to a 4-0 win over the Islanders.
• Sebastian Aho (1g, 1a) and Shayne Gostisbehere (2a) each had a pair of points and Carolina's penalty kill (1-for-1) was perfect for the seventh consecutive contest.

Previous Meetings vs. WAS This Season...

• November 3: Dmitry Orlov scored twice in a 3-2 Canes win at Lenovo Center.

Don't Stop The Party...

• Adding another goal on Tuesday, Jordan Martinook has now found the back of the net in back-to-back games. He now has 16 points (8g, 8 a), the most through 31 games in his 11-year NHL career.
• Jordan Staal has assisted on five of Martinook's eight goals this season and Staal's next helper will be the 400th of his NHL career.

Special Special Teams...

• As mentioned above, Carolina's penalty kill has not allowed a goal since November 30. Going 18-for-18 this month, the team now ranks third among all NHL teams with their 85.3% kill rate.
• On the other side of the coin, the Canes' power play added another goal on Tuesday, improving to 6-for-20 (30%) this month - T-6th in the NHL in that span.

In Net...

• Following his ninth career shutout on Tuesday, it's hard to envision the Canes not going back to Pyotr Kochetkov tonight. The 25-year-old is 13-5-0 with a .902 save percentage this season, including a 19-save victory over Washington last month.
• If it's not Kochetkov, Dustin Tokarski (1-0-0 | 1.00 GAA | .961 SV%) would be making his second appearance with the team. The veteran was sharp on Sunday, earning a win over Columbus in his team debut.

On The Other Side...

• While much of the attention this season has been on Alex Ovechkin's chase for the all-time goal-scoring record, Dylan Strome also deserves a plethora of praise for his campaign. With 38 points in 31 games, he is currently tied for 14th among all NHL skaters.
• Washington, as a whole, averages 3.81 goals per game, second behind only Tampa.
• Summer acquisition Logan Thompson has been strong in net as well, going 12-2-2 with a .911 sv% in his first 16 games with the team.

Injury Updates

• Forward Jack Drury is out for "at least four weeks" after sustaining a broken bone in his hand on Tuesday, Dec. 10, and undergoing surgery as a result.
• Goaltender Frederik Andersen suffered a knee injury in the team's win over Seattle on Saturday, Oct. 26. The Canes announced on Friday, Nov. 21 that the goaltender would undergo surgery and be out of action for 8-12 weeks.
• Forward Jesper Fast was ruled out for the 2024-25 season in August after having neck surgery.

What Are We Wearing?

• The team will be wearing their white uniforms. To view the team's full 2024-25 uniform schedule, click here.

What's Next After This Game?

• The Canes are scheduled to stay off the ice on Saturday and will return to game action Sunday against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
• Next Game: Sunday, Dec. 22 at New York Rangers | 12:30 pm
• Next Home Game: Saturday, Dec. 28 vs. New Jersey | 7:00 pm | Tickets | Parking | Upcoming Theme Nights