The Carolina Hurricanes will resume their regular season on Thursday, February 26, when they face the Tampa Bay Lightning at home. The game is set for a 7:00 p.m. ET start and will be broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network South and available via radio on 99.9 The Fan.
Heading into this matchup, the Hurricanes hold a record of 36-15-6, placing them first in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points. Their most recent game before the Olympic break was a 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers, where Brandon Bussi recorded his second NHL shutout. The Lightning currently lead the Atlantic Division with a record of 38-14-4 and recently defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2.
Carolina has been on an extended point streak, going 8-0-2 in their last ten games prior to the break. Their last regulation loss occurred on January 13 in St. Louis. “It was an easy night at the office for Brandon Bussi, picking up his second NHL shutout,” according to team communications about their previous performance against the Rangers.
Thursday’s contest marks the first of 25 games in just 48 days for Carolina as they finish out their regular season schedule. Only ten of those games will be played at home in Raleigh.
Fans attending Thursday’s game will have an opportunity to view Olympic medals won by Hurricanes players Jaccob Slavin, Seth Jarvis, and Sebastian Aho during this year’s Winter Olympics. The medals will be displayed outside section 306 from doors opening until the end of the first intermission.
In goal for Carolina, both Brandon Bussi and Frederik Andersen are available options. Bussi has won his last seven starts and is coming off a shutout win in New York. Andersen has helped secure points in each of his last five starts for Carolina and also represented Denmark at the Olympics earlier this month.
Tampa Bay enters Thursday’s game following strong recent form as well, having gone 8-1-1 in their ten games leading up to the break. Nikita Kucherov is currently second among all NHL skaters with 94 points in 52 games this season, while goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy leads NHL starters in goals-against average (2.11) and save percentage (.921). After Vasilevskiy started against Toronto on Wednesday night, it is likely Jonas Johansson will start against Carolina.
Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov remains sidelined following hip surgery as previously reported by head coach Rod Brind’Amour.
The Hurricanes will wear their black uniforms for Thursday’s game at Lenovo Center Arena in Raleigh—a venue that accommodates up to 20,000 people and hosts more than 150 events annually according to its official website. The arena features over 700,000 square feet with multiple seating levels and amenities such as suites and concession stands.
The organization contributes significantly to Raleigh’s economy with an impact exceeding $200 million annually through events and community engagement (source). The franchise also holds a notable place in hockey history after winning the Stanley Cup in 2006 (source), and recognizing key figures like Eric Staal and Rod Brind’Amour in its Hall of Fame (source).
After facing Tampa Bay, Carolina is scheduled to practice Friday before returning to action Saturday at home against Detroit.
When asked about injury updates or lineup changes before Thursday’s contest or future promotions—such as bobblehead giveaways scheduled for March—no further details were provided.
