Tampa Bay Lightning (3-1-0) at Carolina Hurricanes (2-1-0)
After a 10-day COVID-related layoff, the Carolina Hurricanes will finally return to the ice Thursday night for a meeting with the defending Stanley Cup champs, the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Thursday will also be the home opener for the Canes, who will be playing their first game in PNC Arena since February of 2020. It won’t be a full Hurricanes’ squad though, as Carolina will come into the game missing Jaccob Slavin, Teuvo Teravainen, Jordan Martinook, Warren Foegele and Jesper Fast, who are all still on the COVID-19 protocol list.