Preview: February 1 vs. Los Angeles

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Carolina Hurricanes will try to extend their point streak to eight games on Saturday when they host the Los Angeles Kings.

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When: Saturday, Feb. 1

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. ET

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Odds at Time of Publishing, via Fanatics Sportsbook: Canes -170

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Canes Record: 32-16-4 (68 Points, 2nd - Metropolitan Division)

Canes Last Game: 3-2 Win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, Jan. 30

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Kings Record: 26-17-6 (58 Points, 3rd - Pacific Division)

Kings Last Game: 3-0 Loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday, Jan. 30

Last Game...

• Despite a sickness running throughout the locker room that caused them to be without both Sebastian Aho and Taylor Hall and forced them to play a man short, the Canes "found a way" past the Blackhawks on Thursday.
• Mikko Rantanen scored a goal in his first game as a member of the home team at Lenovo Center and Juha Jaaska had a pair of assists for his first multi-point game in the NHL.
• 2019 first-round pick Ryan Suzuki skated 6:12 in his NHL debut.
• Pyotr Kochetkov earned the win in net, stopping 18 out of 20.

Joyous January...

• Carolina finished the month of January tied for the most points (22) and second-most wins (10) among all NHL clubs.
• Leapfrogging the New Jersey Devils in the Metro, the Canes held their opponents to just 24.4 shots per night, showcasing their defensive abilities and structure throughout.
• Seth Jarvis led the way with 15 points in 15 games during the month, reaching the 20-goal mark for the second time in his career.

Wash Your Hands...

• The biggest storyline going into tonight's contest is the health of the Canes' locker room. The team has had three players (Roslovic, Aho, Hall) miss a game this week due to an illness that has been spread amongst the players in staff and Rod Brind'Amour said that several players "gutted it out" at less than 100% on Thursday.
• Friday's practice was axed as a result, but now the question becomes, who will be healthy enough to skate tonight?
• Carolina is scheduled to hold a morning skate at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday.

In Net...

• Assuming the Canes' recent rotation in net continues, Frederik Andersen (6-1-0 | 1.84 GAA | .924 SV%) would be in line to return to the crease after Pyotr Kochetkov (18-9-3 | 2.48 GAA | .903 SV%) got the win on Tuesday.
• Should it be Andersen, the Danish backstop would be going for his seventh straight win between the pipes. His career record is eight consecutive victories, set during his first eight games with the Hurricanes in 2021-22.
• Conversely, should the team elect to go with Kochetkov, he has helped guide the Canes to points in six straight outings (4-0-2) and has not allowed more than three goals since Dec. 27.

On The Other Side...

• Raleigh is the fifth and final stop on the Kings' trip east. The first four games have not gone as they'd hoped, going 0-3-1 thus far and held goalless in their last two games.
• Just 2-7-1 in their last 10 games, scoring has been an issue for LA as of late, averaging a league-low 1.50 goals per game during the stretch.
• Things may begin to change soon though, as the team was able to get star defenseman Drew Doughty back in the lineup on Thursday. The five-time NHL All-Star suffered a broken ankle during preseason play, missing the team's first 48 games.
• When they've had success this season, it starts with keeping the puck out of their net. They currently rank fifth among all NHL teams with an average of just 2.53 goals allowed per game. Among all goaltenders who have played 25 games, Darcy Kuemper ranks third with his .921 save percentage.

Injury Updates

• Forward William Carrier suffered a lower-body injury on Jan. 4. On Jan. 24, Rod Brind'Amour revealed that the forward is going to miss "a couple of months, at minimum."
• Forward Tyson Jost suffered a lower-body injury on Dec. 31 which was labeled as "long-term" by Rod Brind'Amour on Jan. 2. He returned to practice with the team in a no-contact sweater on Jan. 19 but is still considered not close to returning.
• 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 black uniforms. To view the team's full 2024-25 uniform schedule, click here.

What's Next After This Game?

• The Canes are scheduled to be off on Sunday. They'll return to practice on Monday before flying to Winnipeg.
• Next Game: Tuesday, Feb. 4 at Winnipeg | 8:00 p.m.
• Next Home Game: Saturday, Feb. 8 vs. Utah | 1:00 p.m. | Tickets | Parking | Upcoming Theme Nights