Tonight, the Carolina Hurricanes face off against the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET, with the game broadcast on FanDuel Sports Network South and TSN3. This is the first time Nikolaj Ehlers returns to Winnipeg after signing with the Hurricanes this past summer, adding an emotional layer to the matchup.

Hurricanes' Projected Lineup

The Hurricanes (13-5-2) are looking to bounce back after a 4-3 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. Despite the loss, the Canes have secured at least a point in their last four games. Here’s how they are expected to line up:

• Forwards:
  • Andrei Svechnikov — Sebastian Aho — Seth Jarvis
  • Nikolaj Ehlers — Logan Stankoven — Jackson Blake
  • William Carrier — Jordan Staal — Jordan Martinook
  • Taylor Hall — Mark Jankowski — Eric Robinson
• Defense:
  • Shayne Gostisbehere — Sean Walker
  • K'Andre Miller — Jalen Chatfield
  • Alexander Nikishin — Mike Reilly
• Goaltenders:
  • Brandon Bussi
  • Frederik Andersen

Jaccob Slavin (lower body), Charles Alexis Legault (hand), and Jesperi Kotkaniemi (lower body) are currently injured. Jalen Chatfield is expected to return after recovering from an upper-body injury. The Hurricanes assigned Domenick Fensore to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Pyotr Kochetkov, who boasts a 4-0-0 record with a 1.70 GAA and a .926 save percentage this season, may also get the start.

Jets' Projected Lineup

The Jets (12-7-0) are on a two-game winning streak, having most recently defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 on Tuesday. However, they will be without their starting goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, who is set to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery and will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks. Eric Comrie will take over as the starting goalie, with Thomas Milic backing him up after being recalled from the Manitoba Moose.

Here’s the Jets' projected lineup:

• Forwards:
  • Kyle Connor — Mark Scheifele — Gabriel Vilardi
  • Vladislav Namestnikov — Jonathan Toews — Cole Perfetti
  • Nino Niederreiter — Adam Lowry — Alex Iafallo
  • Cole Koepke — Morgan Barron — Gustav Nyquist
• Defense:
  • Josh Morrissey — Dylan DeMelo
  • Dylan Samberg — Neal Pionk
  • Logan Stanley — Luke Schenn
• Goaltenders:
  • Eric Comrie
  • Thomas Milic

Haydn Fleury is out with a concussion.

Players to Watch

For the Hurricanes, all eyes will be on Nikolaj Ehlers as he faces his former team for the first time. Ehlers has been a strong offensive contributor recently, with four goals and nine points in his last 10 games. Also, Seth Jarvis, a Winnipeg native, will be playing in his hometown. For the Jets, Mark Scheifele leads the team with 27 points. Josh Morrissey has also been a key player, leading all Jets defensemen with 21 points.

Additional Game Notes

Carolina has a 56-32-4-8 all-time record against Winnipeg. Last season, the teams split their two games, 1-1-0. Sebastian Aho has historically performed well against the Jets, averaging a point per game with 4 goals and 16 points in 16 games.