The Carolina Hurricanes are set to play the New Jersey Devils in the first game of their playoff series on Sunday. Frederik Andersen will be in goal for the Hurricanes. Andersen had a challenging season, marked by a strong start, a knee injury, and mixed performances upon his return. He finished the regular season with a record of 13-8-1, a 2.50 goals-against average, and a .899 save percentage. Andersen’s form dipped significantly in his last four games, where he recorded no wins and allowed 20 goals.
The Hurricanes will have all their key players available going into the game, the first time since early April. While the team is at full strength, the coaching staff faces tough decisions on who to include in the lineup for the match. Coach Rod Brind’Amour announced that Mark Jankowski, Tyson Jost, and Riley Stillman would be healthy scratches for the game. Alexander Nikishin, a highly regarded young defenseman, is also not slated to play. Having just arrived in the U.S. and practiced once with the team, the decision was made for Nikishin to acclimate further before participating in high-pressure situations.
The betting odds for the game, as provided by Fanatics Sportsbook, favor the Hurricanes at -225. The projected lineup for the Hurricanes features Jarvis, Aho, and Blake on the top forward line, with Slavin and Burns leading on defense. Andersen is the starting goaltender, with Kochetkov as the backup.
The Hurricanes will be without Jesper Fast for the entire 2024-25 season due to a neck injury.
