Preview: Red-hot Noel Acciari leads Panthers into showdown with Hurricanes
TV: FOX Sports Florida
TIME: Coverage begins at 7 p.m.
STREAM IT LIVE ON FOX SPORTS GO
Florida Panthers (17-12-5, fourth in the Atlantic Division) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (22-11-2, third in the Metropolitan Division)
BOTTOM LINE
The Carolina Hurricanes host Florida after Noel Acciari scored three goals in the Panthers' 7-4 win over the Stars.
The Hurricanes are 11-8-1 in conference games. Carolina is fifth in the NHL averaging 5.7 assists per game, led by Teuvo Teravainen with 0.8.
The Panthers are 10-9-3 in conference matchups. Florida has scored 119 goals and is fourth in the NHL averaging 3.5 goals per game. Brett Connolly leads the team with 14.
In their last meeting on Nov. 23, Carolina won 4-2. Teravainen recorded a team-high 3 points for the Hurricanes.
TOP PERFORMERS
Andrei Svechnikov leads the Hurricanes with 36 points, scoring 15 goals and registering 21 assists. Sebastian Aho has nine goals and five assists over the last 10 games for Carolina.
Jonathan Huberdeau leads the Panthers with 45 points, scoring 12 goals and adding 33 assists. Acciari has scored six goals over the last 10 games for Florida.
LAST 10 GAMES
Panthers: 5-5-0, averaging 3.4 goals, 5.8 assists, 3.3 penalties and 7.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.1 goals per game with a .934 save percentage.
Hurricanes: 7-2-1, averaging three goals, 5.3 assists, 4.3 penalties and 8.6 penalty minutes while giving up 1.9 goals per game with a .939 save percentage.
INJURIES
Hurricanes: Erik Haula: day to day (lower body).
Panthers: Jayce Hawryluk: out (upper body).
