The Carolina Hurricanes will look to secure their second consecutive win as they host the New York Rangers on Monday, December 29, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh. The game is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. ET puck drop and will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network South and its app, with radio coverage available via 99.9 The Fan and the Hurricanes App.
The Hurricanes currently lead the Metropolitan Division with a record of 23-11-3 and 49 points. In their last outing, they ended a three-game losing streak by defeating the Detroit Red Wings 5-2 on December 27. Shayne Gostisbehere and Andrei Svechnikov each contributed a goal and two assists, while Brandon Bussi made 18 saves from 20 shots, improving his career NHL record to 12-1-1.
The New York Rangers enter the matchup tied for fifth in the division at 19-17-4 with 42 points. Their most recent game resulted in a 2-0 loss against the New York Islanders, marking their eighth shutout defeat this season—no other team has been shut out more than four times so far.
Earlier this season, Pyotr Kochetkov recorded a shutout against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, stopping all 26 shots he faced in a Canes victory. In another meeting in Raleigh on November 26, Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves for New York to help secure a win over Carolina.
Both Eric Robinson and Andrei Svechnikov come into Monday’s game having scored goals in three straight games. Robinson is close to reaching double-digit goals for his fourth NHL season; he has nine goals through 31 games and could surpass his previous career-high of fourteen from last year. Svechnikov is riding a five-game point streak that includes three multi-point performances.
Regarding goaltending decisions for Monday’s contest, Pyotr Kochetkov may start after participating fully in Sunday’s practice. He holds a record of six wins and two losses across eight appearances this season but suffered defeat during his last outing against Tampa Bay on December 20. Alternatively, head coach Rod Brind’Amour could choose to play Brandon Bussi again or give Frederik Andersen another opportunity; Andersen has not won in his last seven starts.
On the injury front for Carolina: Jaccob Slavin (upper-body) and Seth Jarvis (upper-body) remain week-to-week following injuries sustained earlier in December; Charles Alexis Legault is expected to miss several months after surgery on lacerated tendons; K’Andre Miller participated fully in practice Sunday after missing Saturday’s game due to a lower-body injury.
Carolina will wear red uniforms for this contest at Lenovo Center—a venue that features over 700,000 square feet of space and can seat up to 20,000 people while hosting more than 150 events annually according to its official website. The arena serves as an important hub for sports and entertainment experiences within Raleigh and supports community growth.
Following Monday’s match-up against New York, the Hurricanes will travel to Pittsburgh for another back-to-back game before returning home January 1 to face Montreal.
The Carolina Hurricanes have established themselves as one of professional ice hockey’s notable teams since relocating from Hartford to Raleigh in 1997 as stated by their official site. They won their first Stanley Cup championship in 2006 according to team records, recognize significant contributors such as Eric Staal and Rod Brind’Amour through their Hall of Fame program, partner with local organizations like NC State University for venue use, and contribute over $200 million annually to the local economy through events and community engagement as reported by venue data.
