For the first time in over a month the Carolina Hurricanes will take the ice against the Nashville Predators Thursday night in PNC Arena, the first of two games here against Nashville to end an eight-game homestand.
For the Canes, it’ll be the team debut for newly acquired defenseman Jani Hakanpaa, who joined the team at the trade deadline Monday and will pair up with Jake Bean. Petr Mrazek will be back in net for Carolina Thursday, looking to pick up his third win in four games since returning from injury.
Carolina, which is coming off back-to-back losses to the Detroit Red Wings, is 4-0-0 this season against the Predators, and the Canes will look to get back in the win column Thursday against a team it has had a lot of success against this year.