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Jared Staal To Make Preseason Debut Tonight: Hurricanes At Thrashers, Game Preview

By Bob Wage
Carolina Hurricanes forwards Eric and Jared Staal practice at the Rec Zone in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by LTD)

When they were kids, Jared Staal used to team up with brother Eric as they took on brothers Marc and Jordan in two-on-two battles on their home-made family rink.  Tonight, he has a chance to team up with his brother once again as the Carolina Hurricanes travel to Atlanta to take on the Thrashers in a preseason matchup at Philips Arena. 

All Star center Eric Staal will start on a line with Tuomo Ruutu and Sergei Samsonov, but coach Paul Maurice did not rule out the possibility that the brothers could spend some time together on the ice. 

"You never know, we might throw them out together, " said Maurice.

Mostly though, Jared will be playing alongside a "young center", Maurice added.  The actual lines had not yet been determined after the morning practice. 

The players selected to travel to Atlanta were:  (possible lines):

  • Staal-Ruutu-Samsonov
  • Dalpe-Cole-LaRose
  • Skinner-Boychuk-Bowman
  • Matsumoto-Samson-J. Staal
  • Gleason- Corvo
  • Pitkanen-Babchuk
  • Harrison-Sanguinetti McBain

Cam Ward will go the distance in net with Justin Peters as his backup.

Drayson Bowman and Jay Harrison will both be playing in their third consecutive game, on as many nights.  "They are used to that because that's what they do in the AHL," said Maurice. "And both these guys have AHL experience." 

The coach added that it is a positive for the players to be put in that situation.  "We wouldn't play a guy three games in three nights if we thought he was struggling and we didn't think he could handle it," the coach said. "I think Jay Harrison and "Bow" have both gotten stronger and they have earned the right to get back in."

Hockey Mom's updated roster can be found here: Gameday Guide Sept 25 at Atlanta


Chris Mason is also expected to go the distance in net for Atlanta.  For more information about the Thrashers, check out Bird Watchers Anonymous.

The game may or may not be live-streamed, but it will definitely be called by Chuck Kaiton on 99.9 The Fan.  We will have an open thread here starting up at 6:30.  The puck drops at 7.