Hurricanes Kick Off Preseason Against the Capitals

Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals
September 21, 2015 - 7:00 pm ET
Verizon Center - Washington, DC
TV - NHL Network
Radio - WRALSportsFan.com website and mobile app
SB Nation Rival Blog - Japers Rink

Game Notes

• After three days of training camp practices, including a youth-infused scrimmage at yesterday's Caniac Carnival, the Hurricanes will hit the road for the first of back-to-back preseason games against Metro division rivals. They'll face the Capitals tonight in Washington before heading to Pittsburgh for a game against the Penguins Tuesday night, and will meet both teams again here in Raleigh next weekend to close out the schedule.
• The good news is that tonight's game will be televised, coverage provided by NHL Network. The bad news is don't get used to it because as it stands now, tonight's game will be the only live preseason broadcast for the Hurricanes (tomorrow's game will also be aired on NHL Network but on tape delay).
• Fans anxious to see some of the new faces should get that opportunity tonight (note, roster is subject to change based on today's practices, updates will be provided as they become available). Kris Versteeg is expected to make his Canes debut, on a line with Eric and Jordan Staal. Eddie Lack is expected to get the start in net. 28-year-old free agent signee Derek Ryan, who made his way here circuitously from the Swedish Hockey League, will get his first opportunity to crack an NHL roster.
• Youth will be served on tonight's blue line. Noah Hanifin, he of the spectacular end-to-end rush and goal to highlight yesterday's scrimmage, should make his preseason debut tonight, along with Brett Pesce, a 2013 draftee who has been making steady progress at UNH, will be in the lineup tonight, along with Haydn Fleury, coming off a strong showing at Traverse City.
• The Capitals are projected to be among the league's elite in 2015-16, after a strong 2014-15 finish followed by an active off-season. Offseason free agent acquisition and former Hurricane Justin Williams won't be in the line-up tonight, but T.J. Oshie is expected to make his Caps debut manning a line with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. Braden Holtby is expected to start in net, backed up by former Hurricane Dan Ellis who was acquired by the Caps in free agency.
• Regardless of the score at the end of regulation, tonight's game will feature a 3-on-3 overtime period. In order to give teams and officials ample opportunity to prepare for this season's transition from 4-on-4 overtime to 3-on-3 overtime, the NHL has selected 45 preseason games (including tonight's) during which overtime will be mandated. How it will work in a nutshell... If the score is tied in regulation, the teams will go to a 3-on-3 overtime period, followed by a shootout if necessary, as per normal NHL rules. However, if the score is NOT tied in regulation, the game will be scored accordingly, followed by the 3-on-3 overtime period, which will be for exhibition purposes only and will not count as part of the final score.
• Programming note: Please be advised that radio coverage for the Canes preseason games will not be broadcast over radio on 99.9 The Fan. Fans will need to tune into the web version of WRALSportsfan.com or the WRALSportsFan app. Coverage begins at 6:45 pm.

Clicketh here for more information:

• Projected Capitals and Hurricanes rosters [Caps PR]
• Preseason Mandatory 3-on-3 Overtime Format [NHL.com]
• Capitals Preseason Reports and Game Previews [WaPo] [Caps PR]
• Caniac Carnival Red-White Scrimmage recap [CH.com] [N&O] [Canes Country] [Canes and Coffee]
• Bill Peters and Player Post-Scrimmage Media Scrum [CH.com] [N&O]
• Canes Return 8 Players to Junior Clubs [CH.com]

UPDATE 1:30 pm: Lines (as reported by respective teams)

Hurricanes

Eric Staal - Jordan Staal - Kris Versteeg
Phil DiGiuseppe - Derek Ryan - Sergey Tolchinsky
Brad Malone - Riley Nash - Andrej Nestrasil
Carter Sandlak - Brody Sutter - Zach Boychuk

Ron Hainsey - Danny Biega
Haydn Fleury - Ryan Murphy
Keegan Lowe - Brett Pesce

Eddie Lack
Drew MacIntyre

Capitals

Alex Ovechkin - Evgeny Kuznetsov - T.J. Oshie
Jason Chimera - Brooks Laich - Tom Wilson
Jakub Vrana - Drerk Roy - Stanislav Galiev
Sean Collins - Carter Camper - Riley Barber

Karl Alzner - Matt Niskanen
Dmitry Orlov - Aaron Ness
Christian Djoos - Connor Carrick

Braden Holtby
Dan Ellis