2025-26 Regular Season, Game 28 Preview: Carolina Hurricanes vs. San Jose Sharks

Last Game: The Carolina Hurricanes got back to their winning ways on Saturday, taking it to the Nashville Predators. The power play set the stage in the first period. Jackson Blake poked a puck off Taylor Hall's skate and into the net to get it started. Then, Nikolaj Ehlers buried a one-timer just under two minutes later to double the advantage. In the final minute of the frame, the third line's hard work resulted in William Carrier finishing his second goal of the season, making it 3-0 after 20. Blake finally got his first goal of the night late in the second, making a beautiful play to the middle of the ice and finishing on the backhand. Sebastian Aho buried a breakaway early in the third to extend the lead to five. The shutout finally ended when Michael Bunting scored on the power play. Blake got it back with his second of the night shortly after. Matthew Wood and Filip Forsberg scored in the third as well, but the Canes were already too far ahead. Blake and Ehlers had three points each as the Cabes won, 6-3.

Injury Report

Pyotr Kochetkov: It feels like a coin flip for the net on Sunday, so we'll likely wait for the official word from the coach this afternoon before knowing whether he'll make his return.

Jaccob Slavin: It was announced that he wouldn't play this weekend, but it seems possible that he'll be back in the lineup sometime this week.

The Opponent: San Jose Sharks (13-13-3, 29 Points; 6th in the Pacific Division)

Last Meeting: The Hurricanes visited San Jose to kick off their State Fair trip in October, setting the tone for a successful trip. After a scoreless first period, Sean Walker opened the scoring early in the second with a one-timer from the point during a delayed penalty. William Eklund got it back three minutes later, scoring on a breakaway against the debuting Brandon Bussi. The Canes controlled from there. William Carrier pounced on Alexander Nikishin's rebound off the post to take the lead. Eric Robinson finished a breakaway late in the period with one hand to take a 3-1 lead through two periods. Shayne Gostisbehere buried a beautiful passing play, and Jackson Blake added the exclamation point in the third. Bussi made 16 stops to earn the win in his first start, Logan Stankoven had two helpers, and 13 Hurricanes found the scoresheet in a 5-1 victory.

Since We Last Met: Including their loss to the Canes in their third game, the Sharks began the season 0-4-2. It looked as if they were on their way to another lowly season at the bottom of the standings. Then, they won a wild 6-5 game in overtime at Madison Square Garden. This, seemingly, vaulted their season in the right direction. They won 11 of their next 17 games (11-5-1), putting them right into the thick of the fight in the Pacific Division for a playoff spot. Behind this significant resurgence stands Macklin Celebrini. The second-year star for San Jose has been extraordinary. He's already been one of three stars of the week twice already this season. Celebrini's 26 assists and 40 points have him near the top of the league in both categories. Will Smith has been quietly excellent as well (12 goals, 27 points in 29 games). There have been a few decent offensive performances, but their defensive struggles have been a big issue. The Sharks have lost four of their last six games, including two in a row. Raleigh is their second stop on a five-game journey that will take them north next week.

Stories to Watch

1. Kochetkov or Andersen?

Brandon Bussi did his job and earned the Hurricanes two points on Saturday. Injury availability makes Sunday's biggest story about who the Canes start in the second half. Conventional wisdom would determine that if Kochetkov is available, he gets the start. Otherwise, it'll be Andersen, and I'm sure the Caniacs will love that. If Kochetkov backs up Andersen, there might be a riot in Raleigh. The fans have made it known that Andersen needs a break, but they might not have a choice but to start him against the Sharks.

2. Translating the best aspects of Saturday's win to Sunday

There was significantly more to the good than the bad on Saturday against the Predators. That being said, the Canes might want to leave their third period in the past. They allowed three goals over the final 20 minutes, making the game appear closer than it was or needed to be. The power play, which struck twice, should leave its last four attempts behind, too. The Sharks didn't play on Saturday, but they're at the start of a long road trip, so the Canes need to capitalize on their momentum from Saturday's win to take over the start of Sunday's game.