Seattle Kraken (16-8-3, second in the Pacific Division) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (16-6-6, second in the Metropolitan Division)
Raleigh, North Carolina; Thursday, 4 p.m. PT
BOTTOM LINE: The Carolina Hurricanes and the Seattle Kraken take the ice in an out-of-conference matchup.
Carolina has gone 5-3-1 in home games and 16-6-6 overall. The Hurricanes have given up 73 goals while scoring 79 for a +6 scoring differential.
Seattle has a 16-8-3 record overall and a 9-3-1 record on the road. The Kraken have conceded 85 goals while scoring 96 for a +11 scoring differential.
Thursday's game is the fourth meeting between these teams this season. The Hurricanes won 5-1 in the previous meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Martin Necas has 12 goals and 16 assists for the Hurricanes. Andrei Svechnikov has three goals and five assists over the last 10 games.
Matthew Beniers has 11 goals and 12 assists for the Kraken. Andre Burakovsky has six goals and six assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hurricanes: 6-1-3, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.6 assists, 3.4 penalties and 7.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
Kraken: 6-4-0, averaging four goals, 6.4 assists, 4.2 penalties and 10.1 penalty minutes while giving up four goals per game.
INJURIES: Hurricanes: Ondrej Kase: out (concussion), Frederik Andersen: out (undisclosed), Jake Gardiner: out (hip/back), Sebastian Aho: day to day (lower body), Max Pacioretty: out (achilles).
Kraken: Chris Driedger: out (knee), Joonas Donskoi: out (upper-body).