2025-26 Regular Season, Game 69 Preview: Carolina Hurricanes at Toronto Maple Leafs

Last Game: Wednesday night in Raleigh featured a barnburner between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Canes got off to an early start when Jordan Martinook buried a short-handed breakaway to break the ice. The Penguins got it back midway through the second when a returning Sidney Crosby slid it five-hole on Frederik Andersen. Late in the period, Jackson Blake did the same thing to Stuart Skinner after a power play expired, giving the Canes a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes. No one was prepared for the insanity that the third period brought. Aided by a carry-over penalty and an early trip to make it a 5-on-3, Erik Karlsson hammered a shot off the post and in to tie it. The Stankoven line got it back on a beautiful passing play that Taylor Hall finished. However, a fanned shot by Jaccob Slavin ended with Bryan Rust burying a breakaway to tie it at three. Once again, the Canes retook the lead after Logan Stankoven scored on the power play. Not only did the Penguins tie it again, courtesy of a beautiful effort by Karlsson, but they took the lead 23 seconds later when Ben Kindel scored on another breakaway. In the final minutes, before Andersen made it to the bench, K'Andre Miller banked a shot in off a Penguins' defender, tying the game for the fourth time in the period, tying an NHL record for a single game. With overtime needed for the second time in eight days, the Canes scored a late one to win it. Sebastian Aho collected his 700th point by setting up a one-timer for Sean Walker, securing the second point in an incredible 6-5 win. Blake (1G, 2A) and Nikolaj Ehlers (3A) finished with three points each, while Hall, Stankoven, and Walker all added a goal and an assist.

Injury Report

Shayne Gostisbehere: The Hurricanes didn't practice on Thursday, so we probably won't know his status for tonight's game until Friday morning's skate.

The Opponent: Toronto Maple Leafs (29-28-12, 70 Points; 7th in the Atlantic Division)

Last Meeting: The Leafs made their lone trek to Raleigh in early December, and they controlled from start to finish. Bobby McMann opened the scoring less than a minute in, and Scott Laughton added another just past the halfway point. The Canes' lone goal of the night came from Seth Jarvis late in the first, cutting the deficit to one after 20 minutes. However, Toronto kept pushing. Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews scored in the second period, and McMann added his second of the contest into the empty net to seal a 5-1 win. Joseph Woll started the game and made 23 saves, but he exited after two periods. Dennis Hildeby took over and played a perfect third period. Frederik Andersen stopped 19 of 23 in a losing effort.

Since We Last Met: The good news for the Canes is that the players who provided four of Toronto's five goals during their clash in December aren't playing in tonight's game. McMann and Laughton were both traded at the trade deadline to Seattle and Los Angeles, respectively, and Matthews' season is over after a brutal knee-on-knee collision with Anaheim's Radko Gudas left him with a Grade 3 MCL tear. They also dealt former Hurricane Nicolas Roy to Colorado. It truly has been that kind of season for the Maple Leafs. With their leading goal scorer out, William Nylander, Matthew Knies, and John Tavares will shoulder the responsibility. Nylander paces the group with 63 points, while Knies (57) and Tavares (55) follow closely behind. Toronto's real issue has been on the defensive side. They're 31st in goals allowed and 29th in goals allowed per game. Joseph Woll has been okay after dealing with injuries, but Anthony Stolarz has struggled mightily. It doesn't help that shutdown defenseman Chris Tanev has been out since December and is done for the year. It's a lost season for the Maple Leafs, but it doesn't mean that they can't be the spoiler for many other teams, including the Hurricanes.

Stories to Watch

1. Take Toronto lightly at your own risk

A season with high expectations in the post-Mitch Marner era has turned into a sour one for a multitude of reasons in Toronto. The Canes are enjoying much better fortunes, but that doesn't mean that this game is going to be easy. The Maple Leafs are above Bettman .500, despite being at the bottom of the division and the conference. They have pieces that can make you pay for mistakes. Just look at what they did to the Canes in Raleigh. 

2. Don't look ahead to Sunday

This goes hand-in-hand with the first point. We all know where the second stop on this three-game road trip is, and that can't be something the team worries about until Saturday. First, they have to deal with the team in front of them. If they're too worried about playing the Penguins again, the Maple Leafs will make Friday night one of the longest nights of the season. It'll almost be like what the Blue Jackets did to them on Tuesday night.