Hurricanes at Coyotes: Preview

Carolina Hurricanes at Arizona Coyotes
December 12, 2015 - 9:00 pm ET
Gila River Arena - Glendale, AZ
Fox Sports Carolinas - 99.9 FM - WRALSportsFan app
SB Nation Rivals - Five For Howling

Vital Statistics

*Stats from NHL.com and War on Ice

Game Notes

• The Canes and Coyotes faced each other just six days ago, in Raleigh, and there was plenty of goal-scoring excitement but not a lot of great goaltending as the Canes prevailed 5-4 off a late power-play goal by Justin Faulk.
• Since then, the Coyotes returned home and snapped a five-game losing streak on their road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild last night. It was their fifth straight win on home ice. Mikkel Boedker scored both goals (he now leads the team with 11), and Anders Lindback was solid in net with 27 saves.
• Lindback, also in net for all five goals against in the loss to the Canes last Sunday, will likely try to redeem himself with a back-to-back performance tonight, with the status of regular started Mike Smith unknown. Smith did not play yesterday and is reported to be day-to-day with a lower body injury. Louis Domingue was recalled from the AHL and served as backup to Lindback last night.
• The Coyotes will also be missing center Martin Hanzal, who was placed on injured reserve yesterday (lower body). Captain Shane Doan is reported to be close to a return and may be able to enter the lineup tonight, after missing nine games with a lower body injury.
• With the 5-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks last night, the Canes have now scored 18 goals in their last four games. Perhaps not by coincidence, but they've also won three of those last four. Jeff Skinner has been red hot with six goals during the four-game span, and he is now on pace for a 30-goal season. Ron Hainsey and Andrej Nestrasil have points in all four games as well, and Eric Staal, Elias Lindholm, and Victor Rask all have points in three straight games.
• With a 31-save performance last night (and an assist), Eddie Lack may get the start in net again tonight. Bill Peters has shown in the past that he is not hesitant about starting a goaltender on back-to-back nights, and in last weekend's case, it worked with wins in both, though Cam Ward's performance against the Coyotes in the second game was less than spectacular.
• The Canes won't skate this morning or hold media availability, so any updates as to lineup changes (including who will start in net) won't be known until closer to game time.

Projected Lineups

Hurricanes (from Friday's game)

Jeff Skinner - Victor Rask - Phillip Di Giuseppe
Kris Versteeg - Eric Staal - Elias Lindholm
Joakim Nordstrom - Jordan Staal - Andrej Nestrasil
Brad Malone - Jay McClement - Riley Nash/Chris Terry

Ron Hainsey - Justin Faulk 
John-Michael Liles - Brett Pesce
Noah Hanifin - Jaccob Slavin
Michal Jordan

Eddie Lack
Cam Ward

Injuries and scratches: James Wisniewski (IR ACL), Nathan Gerbe (ankle)

Coyotes (from Friday's game)

Tobias Rieder - Antoine Vermette - Anthony Duclair
Max Domi - Viktor Tikhonov - Mikkel Boedker
Jordan Martinook - Brad Richardson - Steve Downie
Kyle Chipchura - Boyd Gordon - Craig Cunningham
John Scott

Oliver Ekman-Larsson - Michael Stone
Klas Dahlbeck - Zbynek Michalek
Nicklas Grossmann - Connor Murphy
Stephan Elliott

Anders Lindback
Louis Domingue

Injuries and Scratches: Martin Hanzal (IR lower body), Joe Vitale (IR fractured orbital bone), Shane Doan (lower-body), Mike Smith (lower-body)