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Carolina Hurricanes at Calgary Flames: Preview, Game Notes and How to Watch

One of four remaining winless teams, the Hurricanes set out to pick up two points as their road trip continues in Calgary.

By Brett Finger
NHL: Carolina Hurricanes at Calgary Flames Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

Carolina Hurricanes at Calgary Flames
October 20, 2016 - 9:00 pm
Scotiabank Saddledome - Calgary, Alberta
Fox Sports Carolinas | 99.9 FM The Fan, WRALSportsFan web and app
SB Nation Rivals - Matchsticks & Gasoline

Game Notes

  • Still searching for their first win of the 2016-17 campaign, the Hurricanes have been plagued by inconsistency through their first three games of the season.
  • It hasn’t been smooth sailing for the Flames, either. Calgary got swept the Edmonton Oilers in a home-and-home set to kick off their season, conceding 12 goals in route to a 0-2-0 start. They followed that up with a shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks prior to capturing a 4-3 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night. They currently sit at 1-2-1 on the early season.
  • The Flames and Hurricanes have had similar struggles early on. Both clubs haven’t had a problem putting the puck in the net, but lackluster defense and goaltending have doomed them to sub-.500 records through the first week of the season.
  • As of now, it looks like Carolina won’t tinker too much with their lineup following their 0-1-2 start to the regular season. Bill Peters rolled with the same forward lineups that we saw against Edmonton on Tuesday. The only change made during Wednesday’s practice was Klas Dahlbeck being inserted back with Noah Hanifin on the blue line.
  • After a disappointing start from Cam Ward on Tuesday, ultimately leading the Hurricanes’ first regulation loss of the season, smart money says that Eddie Lack will get the crease in the Saddledome on Thursday. Lack stopped 27 of 31 shots against the Canucks on Sunday en route to a 4-3 overtime loss.
  • Ryan Murphy skated in the latter half of practice on Wednesday. He has been sidelined since the early stages of preseason due to flu-like symptoms and a lower-body injury. He skated in a yellow non-contact jersey yesterday.
  • The Hurricanes have a number of players on scoring streaks to kick off the season. Lee Stempniak has notched points in each of his first three games with his new club. His three goals and five points both sit atop the team. Justin Faulk (1-3-4) and Victor Rask (2-2-4) are also riding three-game point streaks to start the season.
  • A familiar face has been getting top-line minutes in Calgary early in the season. Kris Versteeg, who spent the better part of the 2015-16 in Carolina’s top-six, has been skating alongside young Flames stars Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. He signed a one-year deal with the club on October 11 after attending Edmonton’s training camp on a professional tryout contract.
  • Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary’s 2016 sixth-overall draft pick netted his first NHL goal on Tuesday against the Sabres. He became the second-youngest player to ever score for the Flames. More notably, he seemingly became the first player to ever score his first NHL goal against a team not named the Hurricanes.