Preview: January 9 vs. Toronto

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Canes open a back-to-back set against Canadian clubs in Raleigh on Thursday, starting with a meeting against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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When: Thursday, January 9

Puck Drop: 7:30 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN+, Hulu

Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

Odds at Time of Publishing, via Fanatics Sportsbook: Canes -150

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Canes Record: 24-15-2 (50 Points, 3rd - Metropolitan Division)

Canes Last Game: 3-2 Loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, January 7

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Maple Leafs Record: 27-13-2 (56 Points, 4th - Atlantic Division)

Maple Leafs Last Game: 3-2 Win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, January 7

Last Game...

• Carolina put together a third-period push on Tuesday night in Tampa, but ultimately it was Tampa Bay finding the game-winner in the final minute of regulation.
• Jordan Staal had a goal and an assist in the effort and Pyotr Kochetkov was sharp, but the Canes needed more out of the start to their contest.
• Andrei Svechnikov snapped a nine-game goal drought with the Canes' first tally and has points in three of his last four games.

On The National Stage...

• Tonight's game will be carried as an ESPN+/Hulu exclusive. It's the fourth such game for Carolina this season, which has gone 2-1-0 in games with national/streaming exclusive broadcasts thus far.
• After tonight, the Hurricanes are slated to have six more games carried nationally (ESPN/ABC/TNT/MAX) during the 2024-25 season. Click here for the full broadcast schedule, and click here for broadcast information.

At The Halfway Mark...

• Tuesday's tilt in Tampa marked the halfway point of the season. With 41 of their 82 scheduled regular-season games in the rearview, the Hurricanes find themselves in third place in the Metropolitan Division with 50 points - eight behind division-leading Washington and eight clear of the playoff cut line.
• Despite some recent inconsistent play dampening the impact of a torrid start to the campaign, the Canes rank among the league's best in a handful of categories, boasting a league-leading penalty kill (84.9%), the sixth-most goals per game (3.34) and the second-most shots per game (31.9), while also allowing the second-fewest shots per game (25.2).
• Per NHL EDGE, the Hurricanes have also spent more time with the puck in the offensive zone (47.2%) and less time in their defensive zone (34.6%) in all situations than any other club.
• Carolina's 24 wins are tied for the fifth-most through the first 41 games of a season in franchise history - six shy of the club's all-time high of 30, set in 2021-22.

In Net...

• With back-to-back games on deck, it's likely that Pyotr Kochetkov (15-9-1 | 2.50 GAA | .902 SV%) and Dustin Tokarski (3-1-0 | 2.49 GAA | .894 SV%) will split the upcoming set at Lenovo Center.
• Kochetkov turned in a steady 30-save effort between the pipes in Tampa and could start the first of the team's two games in the next 48 hours. He is 3-1-0 all-time against Toronto, winning his last three appearances against the Leafs, and posted a whopping 41 saves to backstop a 5-3 Canes win in their last meeting.
• Meanwhile, Tokarski has picked up wins in his last two appearances for the Canes, most recently making 16 saves in Sunday's OT win over Pittsburgh. Should he get the nod tonight, it would be his second career start against the Leafs - his first since facing the club in the 2011-12 season.

On The Other Side...

• The Maple Leafs come to town winners of their last five games and currently pace the Atlantic Division with 56 points - six points ahead of second-place Florida. Their 27 wins this season are the second-most by any club in the NHL.
• Toronto has largely maintained its potent offense, but the story of its season so far has been stellar goaltending. Anthony Stolarz (9-5-2) leads the league with a .927 SV% (among goalies with 14+ starts), while Joseph Woll (14-6-0) ranks T-7th with a .915 SV%. Stolarz also ranks second behind Connor Hellebuyck with a 2.15 GAA, with Woll not far behind with a 2.46 GAA.
• Mitch Marner has posted a team-high 58 points in 42 games, which ranks T-3rd among all NHL skaters. Since Dec. 1, only Nathan MacKinnon (30) has more points than Marner (27).
• William Nylander also ranks in the top five in league goal-scoring with 23 tallies on the year, while John Tavares slots in at No. 11 in that category after securing his 15th career 20-goal season with a tuck on Tuesday.

Injury Updates

• Forward William Carrier suffered a lower-body injury on Jan. 4. Rod Brind'Amour said that the team and player are still exploring all options and are unsure how long he'll be out of the lineup.
• Forward Tyson Jost suffered a lower-body injury on Dec. 31 which was labeled as "long-term" by Rod Brind'Amour ahead of the Jan. 2 contest in Florida.
• Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere suffered an upper-body injury on Friday, Dec. 27, and was placed on injured reserve on Jan. 5. Rod Brind'Amour said pregame on Dec. 31 that the blueliner is set to miss "a couple of weeks, maybe more."
• Goaltender Frederik Andersen practiced with the team on Jan. 8 for the first time since having knee surgery on Nov. 22. Andersen's original prognosis was that he would be out for 8-12 weeks, and his return to practice came just before the seven-week mark.
• 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 right back in action at the Lenovo Center on Friday, going head-to-head with the Vancouver Canucks.
• Next Game: Friday, Jan. 10 vs. Vancouver | 7:30 pm | Tickets | Parking | Upcoming Theme Nights