2025-26 Regular Season, Game 25 Preview: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Calgary Flames

Last Game: The final score showcased a one-sided effort against the Winnipeg Jets, and, by all accounts, it was, but the Hurricanes took their sweet time pulling away. Seth Jarvis broke the ice late in the first period, finishing a beautiful pass from Shayne Gostisbehere in front of the net. The Canes maintained control of the game, but a turnover by Andrei Svechnikov ended with Mark Scheifele burying a breakaway to tie the game. After Brandon Bussi stoned Kyle Connor's short-handed breakaway early in the third with his toe, the Canes pulled away. Jordan Martinook got the go-ahead goal after Mark Jankowski found him in a soft spot between a trio of Jets. Just 47 seconds later, Jarvis added his second of the night with a glove-side snipe. Jarvis completed the hat trick into the empty net, finishing the second hat trick of his career. In the final minute, Alexander Nikishin added one more for good measure. Svechnikov and Shayne Gostisbehere recorded a pair of assists, and Bussi stopped 12 shots to earn his sixth victory. 

Injury Report

Jordan Staal: The captain skated with the group on Saturday, and Robidas was sent to Chicago, indicating that he should be good to go tonight.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi: He wore a yellow non-contact sweater at Saturday's practice, so he should be getting close to returning. 

Pyotr Kochetkov: He wasn't on the ice for practice, so there doesn't appear to be a clear timeline for his return to the lineup.

Jaccob Slavin: The timeline remains a little muddier for him, making it seem like he isn't that close to returning.

The Opponent: Calgary Flames (9-14-3, 21 Points; 8th in the Pacific Division)

Last Season's Meetings: The Hurricanes bested the Flames twice a season ago. They made their trip to Calgary last October, amidst their State Fair journey. The Canes jumped on the Flames early, scoring a trio of goals over the first 22 minutes to take a 3-0 lead. Former Hurricane Jake Bean broke Pyotr Kochetkov's shutout late in the second, and Jonathan Huberdeau made it a one-goal game with 6:55 left to make the Canes sweat. Eric Robinson finished the job, scoring his first as a Hurricane into the empty net to secure a 4-2 victory. Their meeting in Raleigh in March was far closer. Jaccob Slavin scored in the final minute of the second period, and Nazem Kadri knotted it in the third, allowing the teams to earn at least a point. In overtime, Sebastian Aho was the hero, burying a one-timer against a tired Calgary group to bank the second point in a 2-1 victory.

Since We Last Met: The Flames came very close to securing a playoff spot last season, coming up just short with 96 points. Dustin Wolf was the team's breakout star, finishing 2nd for the Calder Trophy and 8th for the Vezina. His efforts also netted him a handsome seven-year extension during the offseason, planting himself as the team's starting netminder for many seasons to come. Connor Zary and Mikael Backlund also earned new deals on a shorter basis. However, the Flames are among the league's slowest starters this season. They sit at the bottom of the division and lead only the Nashville Predators in terms of points league-wide. Wolf's numbers have flown off a cliff, with Devin Cooley posting far superior numbers in limited action. Their offense, which was near the bottom of the league a season ago, continues to be so this season. They average the fewest goals per game in the league, sitting at 2.42 per contest. It has led to mounds of speculation about whether or not the team will conduct a fire sale before the deadline to reset the group. Nazem Kadri and Rasmus Andersson, the team's leading scorers, are at the top of the list, as is Blake Coleman, who is tied for the team lead in goals. Like many teams the Canes have faced over the last two weeks, the Flames are playing their best hockey of the season. They enter with wins in four of their last five games, including a 5-3 victory over the Florida Panthers in Sunrise on Friday night. Raleigh is the fourth stop on their five-game journey, with Nashville remaining on Tuesday night.

Stories to Watch

1. The captain is back (for real this time)

The Canes are expecting to get Jordan Staal back in the lineup after sending Justin Robidas back to Chicago on Saturday. While the team has sorely missed him over the last three contests, Mark Jankowski did an excellent job in his spot on the third line against the Jets on Friday night. Still, there is no replacing the captain, who scored twice in Winnipeg during his last outing over a week ago. It'll be big for the team on the penalty kill as well.

2. Closing November in style

It has been a solid month for the Hurricanes in November, keeping themselves in the thick of the division hunt during a tight battle with the rest of the Metro. The Canes are 8-4-2 over the previous 29 days, leaving this as a relatively big game before a break to start December. While they have continued to see injuries and illnesses tear apart their lineup, the group has fought through to earn points in 10 of 14. With this impending break, the team needs to empty their tanks to finish strongly.