2025-26 Regular Season, Game 24 Preview: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Winnipeg Jets

Last Game: The Carolina Hurricanes kicked off their seven-game homestand on Wednesday night with a pre-Thanksgiving letdown against the Rangers. The visitors broke the ice late in the first period. Noah Laba was given a little too much space and a solid net-front to snap one past Frederik Andersen. The Canes drew even on the power play early in the second. Sebastian Aho won the draw cleanly before feeding Shayne Gostisbehere for his second PPG in as many games. It felt as if the Canes were building momentum until Artemi Panarin scored on a one-timer with 1:04 left in the middle frame to restore the Rangers' lead. To add insult to injury, Vincent Trocheck scored 45 seconds into the third period to double New York's lead. Gostisbehere made a smart decision to jump into a play midway through the frame, finding Seth Jarvis for a lethal snipe to cut the deficit in half. The Canes' push came up empty with Will Cuylle scoring into the empty net, finishing a 4-2 victory for the Rangers.

Injury Report
Jordan Staal: After missing 2 games with an illness, it's unclear whether he'll be available or not, though his participation in an optional skate on Thursday is good news.
Pyotr Kochetkov: He has reaggravated the injury that kept him out for most of the opening month, and there isn't a clear timeline.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi: He skated in a non-contact yellow jersey at Wednesday's morning skate, indicating that he could be close to returning.
Jaccob Slavin: I'm still not convinced we'll ever see him play again, but I'm crossing my fingers it's sometime in December.

The Opponent: Winnipeg Jets (12-10-0, 24 Points; 6th in the Central Division)
Last Meeting: Last Friday night, the Hurricanes flew into Winnipeg for Nikolaj Ehlers' homecoming game. Jordan Staal got the Canes off to a quick start, scoring 16 seconds into the game against Eric Comrie. The Jets responded by capitalizing on a bad line change and a poor decision in the neutral zone, leading to goals by Josh Morrissey and Gabriel Vilardi on the power play. The Canes got two of their own in the second. Staal doubled up by redirecting a pass in the high slot from Jalen Chatfield to tie it. Then, Seth Jarvis pounded on a short-handed rebound to give the team the lead against his hometown team. Ehlers got his big moment early in the third period, sending a beautiful pass to Andrei Svechnikov for a one-timer on the power play to double the Canes' lead. Vilardi got one back shortly after, sending a pass off Chatfield's skate and into the net. This was as close as the Jets got. Brandon Bussi shut the door from there, coming up with a few big stops to seal a 4-3 win in Winnipeg.

Since We Last Met: Like the Hurricanes, the Jets have lost both games since last Friday night. They were shut out 3-0 by the Wild on Sunday, and they began a five-game road trip with a 4-3 loss to the Capitals in D.C. Eric Comrie has been thrust into a tough spot, taking over the starting job for Connor Hellebuyck after the reigning Hart and Vezina winner opted for an arthroscopic knee procedure. The team hasn't used Thomas Milic yet, giving Comrie the last four starts. The offense hasn't been more than Gabriel Vilardi (4G), Mark Scheifele (1G, 1A), Kyle Connor (4A), and Josh Morrissey (1G, 1A) over the last three games either. They've accounted for all six of Winnipeg's goals during this time. No one else on the team has more than 14 points this season. The Jets are fighting an uphill battle that is only getting tougher without their most important player. 

Stories to Watch
1. Is the captain ready to go?
It has been evident during the last two games that the captain has been sorely missed. Jordan Staal's presence on the 3rd line can't be understated. He's the heart and soul of this team. They aren't rolling unless the Staal line is going full force against the opponent's best. He was on the ice on Thursday, which feels like a good sign. The team hasn't made a corresponding move to send Justin Robidas back to Chicago yet, but it'll be something to watch ahead of the game.

2. Getting the 2nd line rolling again
After being the team's best line for a decent stretch, the Stankoven line hasn't found the scoresheet with much consistency since Minnesota last Wednesday night. They've had some chances, and Nikolaj Ehlers is impacting the game a little on the power play, but they aren't getting it done at 5-on-5. Jackson Blake has zero points in three games, which doesn't feel like something we've seen very often this season. I'm keeping a close eye on them tonight against the Jets. 

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