Hurricanes Look to Build on Shutout Victory Against Wild

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes aim to continue their winning momentum when they face the Minnesota Wild on Thursday at Lenovo Center. The Hurricanes, fresh off a shutout win against the New York Rangers, are looking for their ninth victory of the season.

Defenseman K'Andre Miller could make his return to the lineup after missing six games due to a lower-body injury. Miller participated in Wednesday’s practice, skating alongside Jalen Chatfield, signaling his possible comeback after last playing on October 20.

Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour will confirm Miller’s status and the starting goaltender during a media session at 4:45 p.m. Meanwhile, Pyotr Kochetkov‘s stellar debut against the Rangers, where he stopped all 25 shots, puts him in contention for Thursday’s starting position. Brandon Bussi and Frederik Andersen are also options, each having contributed to the team’s early success.

In Miller’s absence, Joel Nystrom partnered with Chatfield and was impressive, but will shift back as Miller returns. The defensive pairings look set with Nikishin and Walker expected to join the lineup. The Hurricanes’ injury list also includes William Carrier, Shayne Gostisbehere, Eric Robinson, and Jaccob Slavin.

The Minnesota Wild enter the game with a record of 5-6-3, struggling for consistency this season. They will also face lineup challenges as several key players are out due to injury.

Fans can catch the action on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET, as both teams look to gain crucial points early in the NHL season.