The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes are set to face off tonight at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, at 7:00 PM ET. This Metropolitan Division matchup holds significant weight as both teams jockey for playoff positioning.
Team Records and Recent Performances
The Carolina Hurricanes enter the game with a record of 23-11-3, placing them atop the Metropolitan Division. They recently snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. The New York Rangers have a 19-17-4 record and are aiming for more consistency after an uneven December. They are coming off a 2-0 shutout loss to the New York Islanders.
Projected Lineups
Here are the projected lineups for tonight's game:
New York Rangers * Forwards: Artemi Panarin - Mika Zibanejad - Alexis Lafreniere / Will Cuylle - Vincent Trocheck - Gabe Perreault / Conor Sheary - Noah Laba - Taylor Raddysh / Brennan Othmann - Jonny Brodzinski - Matt Rempe * Defense: Vladislav Gavrikov - Braden Schneider / Carson Soucy - Will Borgen / Matthew Robertson - Scott Morrow * Goalies: Igor Shesterkin, Jonathan Quick
Carolina Hurricanes * Forwards: Andrei Svechnikov - Sebastian Aho - Logan Stankoven / Nikolaj Ehlers - Jesperi Kotkaniemi - Jackson Blake / William Carrier - Jordan Staal - Jordan Martinook / Taylor Hall - Mark Jankowski - Eric Robinson * Defense: Alexander Nikishin - Sean Walker / Shayne Gostisbehere - Jalen Chatfield / Mike Reilly - Joel Nystrom * Goalies: Pyotr Kochetkov, Brandon Bussi
Injury Updates and Status Reports
- New York Rangers: Adam Fox (upper body), Adam Edstrom (lower body), and J.T. Miller (upper body) are injured. Sam Carrick (illness) is a game-time decision.
- Carolina Hurricanes: Seth Jarvis and Jaccob Slavin are out with upper-body injuries. K'Andre Miller (foot) is a game-time decision.
Players to Watch
- New York Rangers: Artemi Panarin, who leads the team with 38 points, had a goal and an assist in a previous game against the Hurricanes. Will Cuylle leads the Rangers in hits with 136.
- Carolina Hurricanes: Andrei Svechnikov has goals in three straight games and points in five straight. Sebastian Aho leads the Hurricanes with 33 points.
Keys to the Game
For the Rangers, strong goaltending from Igor Shesterkin or Jonathan Quick will be crucial to withstand Carolina's offensive pressure. Limiting second-chance opportunities and capitalizing on offensive chances, especially from players like Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, will be vital. The Rangers' power play could also be a difference-maker.
The Hurricanes will aim to control the pace of the game through aggressive forechecking and sustained offensive-zone time. They need to capitalize on their scoring chances, particularly through Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov.
Prediction
The Hurricanes are considered favorites with a 65% chance of winning, according to betting odds. The Rangers have struggled in their last six meetings with Carolina. While the Rangers have the talent to keep the game close, the Hurricanes' ability to control play at five-on-five gives them a slight advantage.
