The Carolina Hurricanes are set to play the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, with Brandon Bussi starting as goaltender. Bussi, who has started his NHL career with a 16-2-1 record, has played an important role for the team this season. His performance comes at a time when the Hurricanes have been without Pyotr Kochetkov due to hip surgery and Frederik Andersen is having a difficult season.
Head coach Rod Brind’Amour commented on William Carrier’s absence from the lineup, saying before the game that he hopes Carrier “isn’t out for too long.” Carrier was not in the lineup after scoring the game-winning goal last Saturday in Raleigh and will miss his second consecutive game due to a lower-body injury.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi returned to action for the first time since January 3, filling in for Carrier. On defense, Mike Reilly is expected to play for the first time since New Year’s Day, though Brind’Amour did not indicate which defenseman would be scratched to make room.
The projected forward lines include Svechnikov, Aho, and Ehlers; Hall, Stankoven, and Blake; Martinook, Staal, and Jarvis; and Kotkaniemi, Jankowski, and Robinson. The defensive pairings are Slavin with Chatfield; Miller with Walker; Nikishin with Gostisbehere; and Reilly as an extra option.
In addition to Carrier and Kochetkov’s injuries, Charles Alexis Legault (hand injury) and Noah Philp (concussion protocol) remain unavailable. Mike Reilly is listed among potential scratches if he does not play.
On special teams, Jordan Staal continues to take faceoffs for the first power play unit. If he wins possession of the puck at center ice during power plays, he remains on the ice until play moves out of the zone—at which point Nikolaj Ehlers replaces him.
The Hurricanes will face off against St. Louis at 7:30 p.m.
