16x9 R1G5 Lead

RALEIGH, NC. - The Carolina Hurricanes will try to put the New York Islanders away on Tuesday when they host them for Game 5 of their first round series.

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When: Tuesday, April 30

Puck Drop: 7:30 p.m. ET

Series: Carolina Leads 3-1

Watch: Bally Sports, TBS, TruTv, Max

Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

Odds at Time of Publishing, Provided By Fanatics Sportsbook: Canes -250

The Series So Far

  • Game 1: Frederik Andersen stops 33 out of 34 shots faced, backstopping the Canes to a series-opening victory.
  • Game 2: The Islanders jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but Carolina responded with five answered goals to take a thrilling come-from-behind victory.
  • Game 3: Andersen turns in another amazing performance, stopping 29 in a 3-2 victory.
  • Game 4: Mat Barzal keeps the Islanders' season alive, scoring twice, including the 2OT winner.

Last Time Out

  • Saturday's Game 4 was a game of waves. New York came out with a strong start, but Carolina pushed back with the game-opening goal. The Islanders tied it in the second, but the Canes counterpunched. In the third, New York jumped back in front, but a second Carolina power play goal forced overtime.
  • The game could have gone either way, but in 2OT, a Robert Bortuzzo shot from the point hit Mat Barzal in front, giving him his second goal of the day and extending his team's season.

The Man Advantage

  • The Canes went 2-for-4 on the power play in Game 4, and they have now converted in 15 of their last 20 games.
  • They posted a franchise-record 26.9% conversion rate (67-for-249) during the regular season, trailing only Tampa Bay (28.6%) for the league lead.

Good In These Spots

  • Despite the Game 4 defeat, Carolina is 7-4 record under Rod Brind’Amour in potential series-clinching games.
  • Jake Guentzel, who enters tonight with assists in three straight games, has registered 14 points (10g, 4a) in 14 potential series-clinching games with Pittsburgh and Carolina, and he leads all Canes skaters in career goals and points in those contests. 

In Net

  • Frederik Andersen played a fourth game in a row for the first time in almost a calendar year on Saturday, and he was solid. Stopping 32 out of 35, he suffered his first loss in the series, but it was certainly of no fault to him.
  • The question that existed before Games 2, 3, and 4, remains before Game 5 though - will they go back to him again?
  • Andersen last played five in a row during last year's playoffs, May 3-11 to be exact, each game in the team's series win over the New Jersey Devils. However, Brind'Amour has said that he wants to ensure his goalie isn't experiencing too much wear and tear, as he hopes for a long run.
  • With a fresh Pyotr Kochetkov eagerly awaiting his turn, would the Canes consider giving the younger netminder a shot?
  • If it is Kochetkov, he went 19-7-3 after December 12, posting a .923 save percentage that was the best among any Eastern Conference goaltender who played 30 games.

On The Other Side

  • Perhaps the most impressive part of the Islanders' Game 4 victory was their performance in the faceoff dot, winning 68% from Carolina. A rare tough day for the Canes' centers, J.G. Pageau went 19-for-23, winning 83% for his team.
  • Barzal and Bo Horvat led the way for the group with multiple points, while defenseman Noah Dobson played a game-high 32:55.
  • As for tonight, Patrick Roy confirmed on Monday that Matt Martin (lower-body injury) will not play and Semyon Varlamov will start for the fourth time in five games.

Injury Updates

  • Forward Jesper Fast suffered an upper-body injury in the team's regular season finale on Tuesday, April 16. On Thursday, April 25, Rod Brind'Amour said that he is likely out for the entire postseason.
  • Defenseman Brett Pesce is likely to miss the rest of Round 1 after suffering a lower-body injury during Game 2.

What Are We Wearing?

  • The team will be wearing their black sweaters for all home games during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and white for all road games.

Additional Game Information

Where To Watch

  • Can't make it to PNC Arena, or looking for a place to watch the road games in the series?
  • Visit any Carolina Ale House in the state to watch the Canes throughout the playoffs.

What's Next After This Game?

  • If the Canes win, they are likely to be off on Wednesday. The NHL will release a Round 2 schedule at a later date.
  • If the Canes lose, they are scheduled to practice on Wednesday before flying back up to New York ahead of Thursday's Game 6.