Preview: January 2 at Florida

SUNRISE, Fla. - The Carolina Hurricanes kick off the new year and close out their season series against the Florida Panthers with a battle at Amerant Bank Arena.

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When: Thursday, January 2

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 +100

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Canes Record: 22-13-2 (46 Points, 3rd - Metropolitan Division)

Canes Last Game: 4-3 SO Loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, Dec. 31

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Panthers Record: 23-13-2 (48 Points, T-1st - Atlantic Division)

Panthers Last Game: 5-3 Win over the New York Rangers on Monday, Dec. 30

Last Game...

• Carolina earned a point on New Year's Eve but ultimately fell 4-3 to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a shootout at Nationwide Arena.
• Jack Roslovic extended his point streak to a season-high five games with a goal in the second period, while Ty Smith grabbed his first as a member of the Hurricanes in just his second game with the club.
• Pyotr Kochetkov turned aside 25 of 28 shots through regulation and overtime, suffering consecutive defeats between the pipes for the first time this season.

Previous Meetings This Season...

• November 29: The Hurricanes fought back to erase a two-goal hole through 40 minutes, but conceded three in the third en route to a 6-3 loss to Florida at Lenovo Center.
• November 30: The Cats ran rampant at home, rattling off a 6-0 victory over Carolina in the second half of a back-to-back, home-and-home set.

Necas 400...

• Forward Martin Necas is set to skate in his 400th NHL game on Thursday.
• Through 399 games he has totaled 111 goals and 288 points, ranking fifth and seventh, respectively, among all players taken in the 2017 draft.

Jaaska Recalled...

• After Tyson Jost went down with an injury during Tuesday's loss in Columbus, the team recalled forward Juha Jaaska from Chicago (AHL) on Sunday. While it's entirely possible that Jost is good to go for tonight's contest, it is the first time this season that Jaaska, who signed a one-year deal in April, has been brought back to the big club's roster.
• Should Jaaska's services be needed tonight, it would be his NHL debut, a special day for the 26-year-old. A veteran of 310 Liiga (Finland) games, the forward started the season with 16 points in 25 games with the Wolves.

In Net...

• With a day between games, the team has an opportunity to go back to Pyotr Kochetkov (14-7-1 | 2.52 GAA | .899 SV%) once again. Believe it or not, Kochetkov has faced the Panthers just once in his young regular season career, producing a 45-save shutout in a memorable 1-0 victory last February.
• The team also has the option to turn to Dustin Tokarski (2-1-0 | 2.35 GAA | .907 SV%). They'll need both netminders at home this weekend for a Saturday-Sunday back-to-back set.

On The Other Side...

• After being shut out in back-to-back games by Tampa Bay and Montreal, the Cats got back to their winning ways on Monday against the New York Rangers.
• Matthew Tkachuk led the team with 16 points in 13 games during December as the team averaged a league-high 32.7 shots per game in the month.
• In net, Sergei Bobrovsky (17-7-1) has carried the bulk of the load for the team, but both he (.896) and Spencer Knight (6-6-1 | .887) have sub-.900 save percentages this season.

Injury Updates

• Forward Tyson Jost suffered an injury during Tuesday's game in Columbus and did not play in the final 13 minutes of regulation or overtime. Carolina did not practice on Wednesday, so no further update was available.
• Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere suffered an upper-body injury on Friday, Dec. 27, and will miss some time. Rod Brind'Amour said pregame on Dec. 31 that the blueliner is set to miss "a couple of weeks, maybe more."
• Forward Jack Drury is out for "at least a few weeks" after sustaining a broken bone in his hand on Tuesday, Dec. 10, and undergoing surgery as a result. He has resumed skating by himself recently.
• 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 set to return to Raleigh postgame and practice on Friday before taking on the Minnesota Wild at Lenovo Center on Saturday.
• Next Game: Saturday, Jan. 4 vs. Minnesota | 7:00 pm | Tickets | Parking | Upcoming Theme Nights