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The Hurricanes look to bounce back from a frustrating loss to the Capitals on Friday night as they take on last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winner in Raleigh, looking to notch a season sweep over a team that won 62 games last season.
Vital Statistics
| Category | Hurricanes | Blue Jackets |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Hurricanes | Blue Jackets |
| Record | 21-7-3 | 13-13-7 |
| Goals/Game | 3.23 | 2.54 |
| Goals Against/Game | 2.48 | 3.12 |
| Shots/Game | 31.52 | 28.70 |
| Face Off Win % | 54.4% | 46.2% |
| Power Play % (Rank) | 30.6% (1st) | 14.8% (26th) |
| Penalty Kill % (Rank) | 82.9% (9th) | 74.0% (26th) |
| ES Corsi For % | 53.04% | 46.16% |
| ES PDO | 100.96 | 99.42 |
| PIM/Game | 07:21 | 06:43 |
Goaltender #1
| Category | James Reimer | Joonas Korpisalo |
|---|---|---|
| Category | James Reimer | Joonas Korpisalo |
| Record | 12-4-1 | 8-10-5 |
| Save % | 0.909 | .900 |
| GAA | 2.68 | 2.98 |
Goaltender #2
| Category | Alex Nedeljkovic | Elvis Merzlikins |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Alex Nedeljkovic | Elvis Merzlikins |
| Record | 7-2-2 | 5-3-2 |
| Save % | .930 | .912 |
| GAA | 1.96 | 2.91 |
Game Notes
- The Hurricanes and Lightning are meeting for the third and final time this season. The Canes have picked up two wins against Tampa thus far this season (the Lightning earned one point in an OT loss). A win tonight would be the first time the Hurricanes swept the Lightning in a season series since 2008-09, when the Canes won all six of their matchups with the then-division rival.
- The Hurricanes have played exactly half of the season. Their 24 wins and 50 points is second best through 41 games in franchise history.
- Carolina’s game against Washington on Friday was a sellout of 18,680, marking the team’s third consecutive sellout and sixth of the season. The attendance has increased by 24.9% over last season through 19 home games.
- Andrei Svechnikov has earned at least a point in 20 out of the 24 Hurricanes wins this season. The Canes are 20-6-0 when he earns a point, and have compiled a record of 4-9-2 when he’s held off the score sheet. He tallied two assists in Friday’s loss to Washington, and picked up his team-leading 13th multipoint game of the season.
Storm Advisory
- Charlotte Motor Speedway threw its hat in the ring for a Winter Classic.
- How Justin Williams became a three-time Stanley Cup Champion. [Sportsnet]
- Colin White found an unusual way of scoring yesterday — unfortunately it’s not allowed.
- And the Lightning response:
That Sens goal didn’t count, obviously would have been against us so glad it didn’t, but……. ok that was kind of cool
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) January 5, 2020
- It’s probably a good thing we’re past Christmas, because NHL officials aren’t exactly on the Winnipeg Jets’ Christmas card list:
To give you a sense of the anger here in the #NHLJets room over the officiating, several players are declining to talk, presumably because anything they said would likely end in a fine.
— Mike McIntyre (@mikemcintyrewpg) January 4, 2020
- On a more positive note, any time you can cross an item off your bucket list, it’s a good day :) Way to go, boss!
Hello. I’m not @minter, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I am about to check off a personal bucket list item of doing PA at a hockey game at PNC Arena. The fact that it’s a rec league championship doesn’t matter a bit. I’m psyched. pic.twitter.com/fIVzFieoal
— Brian LeBlanc (@bdleblanc) January 4, 2020