The Carolina Hurricanes will face the Pittsburgh Penguins for the third time in less than two weeks on Sunday, March 22. The game is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network South and its app, with radio coverage available on 99.9 The Fan and the Hurricanes App.
This matchup is important as both teams are competing for top positions in the Metropolitan Division. The Hurricanes currently lead the division with a record of 44-19-6, while the Penguins are close behind at 35-18-16. Both teams come into this contest following overtime victories; Carolina defeated Toronto 4-3 in overtime on Friday, while Pittsburgh secured a shootout win over Winnipeg on Saturday.
Alexander Nikishin scored his first career overtime winner in Carolina’s last game, which also featured a franchise milestone: it was the first time the team scored a power-play goal, shorthanded goal, and penalty-shot goal all within one period. Goaltender Brandon Bussi made 23 saves to earn his first win in four starts. Defenseman K’Andre Miller has been productive recently, scoring in back-to-back games and nearing his single-season career-high for goals.
The Hurricanes have alternated between goaltenders Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi since returning from the Olympic break. If this rotation continues, Andersen is expected to start against Pittsburgh. On the other side, Stuart Skinner is likely to start for the Penguins after Arturs Silovs played Saturday.
The Lenovo Center serves as home to the Hurricanes and features over 700,000 square feet of space with multiple seating levels and amenities such as suites and concession stands according to the official website. The venue can accommodate up to 20,000 people and hosts more than 150 events each year according to the official website. The team’s activities contribute over $200 million annually to the local economy through events and community engagement according to the official website.
The Hurricanes have recognized players like Eric Staal and Rod Brind’Amour in their Hall of Fame for significant contributions according to the official website. The franchise achieved a major milestone by winning its first Stanley Cup championship in 2006 according to the official website.
After Sunday’s game, Carolina will travel to Montreal for their next matchup on Tuesday.
