Islanders Face Hurricanes: Game Preview
The Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders are set to clash on Thursday night at the Lenovo Center. This matchup begins at 7:30 P.M. The Hurricanes, currently holding a 6-3-0 record, aim to overcome recent challenges marked by injuries.
Injury Updates and Player Status
The Hurricanes are plagued with injuries to several key players. Notably, Jaccob Slavin, K’Andre Miller, and Shayne Gostisbehere are on the sidelines. The status for Gostisbehere remains uncertain as the team did not provide updates following his evaluation.
- Jaccob Slavin – Injured
- K’Andre Miller – Injured
- Shayne Gostisbehere – Status uncertain
In response to these injuries, Charlotte’s Charles Alexis Legault has been recalled. He joins other healthy defensemen, including Walker, Nikishin, Chatfield, Fensore, Nystrom, and Reilly. Carrier has been placed on injured reserve, and Robinson continues to be unavailable.
Goaltending Situation
In terms of goaltending, anticipated changes may occur. Brind’Amour hinted that while Bussi is expected to be in the net, Andersen’s involvement is a possibility. Kochetkov is nearing his return but is not expected to participate in this game.
Islanders’ Lineup and Recent Performance
For the Islanders, David Rittich will take the goaltending position, as confirmed by reporter Cory Lavalette. The Islanders’ forward line features key players as follows:
- Drouin – Horvat – Heineman
- Duclair – Barzal – Palmieri
- Maclean – Cizikis – Tsyplakov
Both teams enter this matchup displaying similar trends, having each lost their last two games. This encounter is crucial, as it presents an opportunity for one of the teams to break their losing streak.
