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Hurricanes vs. Predators: Game Preview, Statistics, Notes, How to Watch

The Hurricanes look to pick up their second win against Central Division opponents in 3 days.

By Andrew Ahr and Brian LeBlanc
Jamie Kellner

Carolina Hurricanes (29-27-12) at Nashville Predators (35-24-11)
March 18, 2017 - 7:00 p.m. ET
PNC Arena - Raleigh, NC
FOX Sports Carolinas - 99.9 The Fan - WRALSportsFan web and app
SB Nation rival blog: On the Forecheck

Vital Statistics

Category Hurricanes Predators
Category Hurricanes Predators
Record 29-27-12 35-24-11
Points 70 81
Division Rank 7 Metro 3 Central
Conference Rank 13 EC 7 WC
Last 10 Games 4-2-4 6-2-2
Streak Won 1 Won 3
Goals/Game 2.54 2.93
Goals Against/Game 2.82 2.76
Shots/Game 30.3 31.4
Shots Against/Game 27.9 30.4
Faceoff % 52.6% 51.1%
Power Play % (Rank) 17.4% (22) 20.4% (11)
Penalty Kill % (Rank) 84.4% (5) 79.9% (21)
ES Corsi For % 51.7% 51.25%
ES PDO 98.1 100.3
PIM/Game 6:01 10:10

Goaltender #1

Category Cam Ward Steve Mason
Category Cam Ward Steve Mason
Record 26-22-12 32-20-5
ES Save % .910 .919
GAA 2.69 2.66

Goaltender #2

Category Curtis McElhinney Jaroslav Halak
Category Curtis McElhinney Jaroslav Halak
Record 3-1 0-0
Save % .943 N/A
GAA 1.70 N/A

Game Notes

  • The Preds and Canes meet tonight for the second and final time this season. The Canes took a 3-2 shootout win in Nashville on November 4, powered by a pair of defensemen. The since-departed Ron Hainsey tied the game midway through the third period on a shorthanded goal, and Jaccob Slavin scored the only goal of the shootout to earn the win.
  • That game in November was Cam Ward’s first career win at Bridgestone Arena, a house of horrors for the Hurricanes who are 3-10 all-time in Nashville. It’s been a different story at PNC Arena, where the Canes are 6-1-3 with one tie since 1998.
  • Tonight is the last of a five-game “homestand” that was interrupted with a quick trip to Barclays Center last week. They’re 2-0-2 on home ice in that time, which doesn’t include the 8-4 sideshow against the Islanders on the road.
  • The Canes reassigned Lucas Wallmark to the Charlotte Checkers yesterday, hinting at a possible return for Phil Di Giuseppe who has missed six games with an upper-body injury.
  • Today is the first of the Canes’ 14th set of back to back games this season. They’re 7-3-3 in the front halves of those sets, and have three more sets to go after this weekend.
  • Elias Lindholm has 29 assists this season, a career high, and has points in five straight games. He set up Hainsey for the game-tying goal against the Preds in November for one of those 29 helpers.
  • Jeff Skinner has 12 points in 10 games against Nashville, the only Canes player with a point per game record against the Preds. No one on the Preds roster is a PPG player against Carolina, but oddly, the Canes have never shut out the Preds in 23 games dating back to the Preds’ NHL debut in 1998.
  • Tonight is the second to last Homegrown Series game of the year, and if you think your humble correspondent won’t be waiting in line for a pork belly and macaroni & cheese pizza at section 114 sometime tonight, you are sorely mistaken. Lynnwood Brewing Concern provides the adult beverages, Runaway has the limited edition T-shirts, and country artist Kasey Tyndall handles the intermission entertainment (as she did last year when the Preds came to town, incidentally).
  • There are plenty of other promotions tonight: Stormy’s Birthday Party (always a winner), a Kids ‘n Community Foundation mystery puck fundraiser and the final night of the pet supply drive. Head over to hurricanes.com/promotions for all the details.