Welcome to the New Year! As we step into 2026, let’s hope it brings each of you joy, health, and a sense of renewed beginnings.
The Carolina Hurricanes are eager to kick off the year on a positive note as they prepare to face the Montreal Canadiens, affectionately known as Les Habitants. After a disappointing conclusion to 2025, marked by one of their most lackluster performances, the team is ready for a fresh start.
If you’ve been caught up in New Year’s celebrations and need a refresher, the last time the Canes played was on Tuesday night. Unfortunately, that game was essentially decided before it even began, resulting in a disheartening 5-1 defeat against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The match left fans with a sinking feeling, particularly concerning goalie Frederik Andersen. Once the Penguins scored their first goal, it seemed that the confidence of the entire team crumbled around him.
In an effort to recover from that tough outing, Carolina will be looking to their standout goaltender, Brandon Bussi, who has clearly established himself as the team’s number one choice. Bussi, a remarkable find for the Hurricanes, boasts an impressive record of 13 wins and just 1 loss, along with a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.08 and a save percentage of .912. He demonstrated his skills during an overtime victory against the Rangers on Monday, and the team has rallied around him, playing with the assurance that he can deliver crucial saves when needed.
There’s also some encouraging news from the morning skate today, as it seems at least one of the players who has been sidelined for an extended period is making progress toward returning to action.
As expected after a rough performance and ongoing injury challenges, there were noticeable changes to the lineups during the morning skate. The absence of key players like Jarvis and Slavin has been widely discussed, but perhaps more critical in the short term is the injury to Shayne Gostisbehere. Gostisbehere has elevated his play this season, contributing significantly even though he has only netted four goals. Anyone who has watched him knows he has been a vital energizer during both power plays and regular play. In his last game before this latest injury, he recorded three points against the Red Wings, and the impact of his absence has been quite evident over the past two games.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens are striving to build on their playoff success from last season and remain competitive in the tightly contested Atlantic Division. They have managed to secure points in six consecutive games, recently facing off against the Florida Panthers. In that bout, the Panthers edged out a 3-2 victory in overtime, largely due to a controversial elbow to the head of Mike Matheson by Brad Marchand. Although Marchand received a penalty for the foul, he faced no further consequences—a decision that raises eyebrows, especially with the upcoming Winter Classic in Florida. Could there be an ulterior motive behind the NHL's disciplinary actions? It’s hard not to wonder.
Despite the competitive back-and-forth between these two teams in recent years, they share a common frustration regarding Florida's tendency to escape punishment for injuring key players. However, both squads are focused on securing every possible point from tonight's matchup.
In goal for the Canadiens, they have been dealing with a rough season so far from last year’s starter, Sam Montembeault, who was even demoted to the AHL. He returned to make a start this past Tuesday, earning a win against the Panthers. With the Habs facing a grueling schedule of three games in four days—each on the road—they had some decisions to make regarding their goaltending. Tonight, it appears Jakub Dobes will take the crease. Dobes has not seen action since December 21st against the Penguins, but he has performed well overall with a record of 12 wins and 5 losses, despite a GAA of 2.90 and a save percentage dipping below .900 at .894. This could present an opportunity for the Hurricanes to capitalize early against a potentially rusty goalie.
Whenever the Canadiens hit the ice, all eyes should be on their dynamic duo, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, who have combined for 32 goals and 83 points this season. The Hurricanes' Jordan Staal line will likely be tasked with matching up against this formidable top line. Additionally, keep an eye on Montreal’s second line featuring their third and fourth leading goal scorers, Juraj Slafkovský and Oliver Kapanen. Yes, Kapanen! He’s related to former Hurricanes star Sami Kapanen and is also cousins with Sami’s son, Kasperi. Expect the Aho/Ehlers line to engage with them, setting the stage for an exciting back-and-forth.
Tonight’s clash in Raleigh promises to be a thrilling contest. If you can’t make it to the arena, here’s how to catch all the action:
Game Time: 7 PM
TV Broadcast: FanDuel Sports Network, with Mike Maniscalco calling the play-by-play alongside color analyst Tripp Tracy. Off-ice reports will be delivered by Hanna Yates and Shane Willis, who will also host the pregame show starting at 6:30 PM and a postgame recap lasting about 30 minutes after the final buzzer.
Streaming: Tune in via the FanDuel Sports Network App if you’re in the Carolinas. For those outside the region, the ESPN app has you covered, as the game will not air on the NHL Network.
Radio Coverage: Pregame coverage on 99.9 The Fan begins at 4:30 PM, followed by the Hurricanes Radio Network taking over at 5 PM. You can also stream the live call through the Hurricanes app.
Betting Odds: Hurricanes -182 Moneyline, Puckline -1.5 at +136, Canadiens +150 Moneyline, Puckline +1.5 at -168, Over/Under 6.5 (+112 Over/-138 Under).
As we gear up for tonight’s match, what are your predictions? Who do you think will come out on top? Let's hear your thoughts!
