The Carolina Hurricanes, (23-30-7) recalled Zach Boychuk for their game against the New Jersey Devils, (37-20-3) tonight at the RBC. This is the fifth recall this season for Boychuk, who has three assists in 11 games this year. The winger will join the Brandon Sutter -- Tuomo Ruutu line.
Patrick Dwyer will be trying to fill some big skates as he takes Matt Cullen's old spot and will be centering Tom Kostopoulos and Sergei Samsonov. The other lines will remain the same.
Newly acquired Alex Picard will not play tonight and is not in town yet, (immigration issues?)
Winner of his first ever NHL start, Justin "Pete Dawg" Peters will get another shot tonight. The youngster had a great game against the Islanders last week, can he have a repeat performance at home against the Devils? Will there be howls from the "Dawg Pound" whenever he makes a big save?
For those of you who wanted the Hurricanes to start getting younger, the plan seems to be taking shape.
The lines should look like the following: (but obviously could be changed during the game)
- Staal, Whitney, Jokinen
- Sutter, Ruutu, Boychuk
- Dwyer, Kostopoulos, Samsonov
- Yelle, Brind'Amour, Goertzen
- Gleason, Corvo
- Pitkanen, Ward
- Alberts, Carson
Check out "Pete Dawg's" statline so far in his young career.
But he's facing the new look Devils tonight, who just acquired Ilya Kovalchuk. They are one of the best teams in the NHL, although they have lost three of their last four games and five of their last seven.
One might think that Martin Brodeur would get a break tonight since he just played last night and will certainly do some heavy lifting in the upcoming Olympics, but according to "Fire & Ice", he will get the nod again tonight.
In Lou We Trust has more Jersey information.
This is the last game for these clubs before a two week break for the Olympic games. All trades are frozen during this two week time period, but things will certainly heat up again very soon afterward.
With the final trade deadline ending before the next home game on March 4th, will this be the last game as a Hurricane on RBC ice for Ray Whitney, Aaron Ward, Joe Corvo, and/or someone else? It very well could be.
The times, they are a changin'.
Tonight's game will be televised locally by FS Carolinas at 7. Mike Maniscalco will have his Stormfront show starting at 6:30 on 99.9 The Fan. We will have the Open Game Thread starting here at 6:30 and I will be chiming in "live" from the RBC.