The Carolina Hurricanes’ game schedule has changed again. Here’s what’s what.
The Chicago Blackhawks will leave town a day early. The Tampa Bay Lightning will arrive at PNC Arena early instead.
The Carolina Hurricanes’ Saturday schedule was shuffled by the NHL on Friday, hours before what was supposed to be the first of two games against the Blackhawks and is now a one-game series.
The Hurricanes will play only the one game against the Blackhawks on Friday at 7 p.m. and host the Lightning on Saturday at 7 p.m. instead, the first of what is now four straight against the Stanley Cup champs. The Hurricanes were already scheduled to host Tampa Bay on Monday and travel there for games Wednesday and Thursday.
“Had we known that was the schedule we probably would have done something a little different,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Honestly, we’re just preparing for tonight and (we’ll) worry about tomorrow tomorrow.”
Tampa Bay had games Thursday and Saturday in Dallas postponed because of the winter weather catastrophe there. Saturday’s new 7 p.m. game against Tampa was originally scheduled for March 28. A new date has not been set for Saturday’s postponed game against the Blackhawks.
All of the games will be broadcast on Fox Sports Carolinas.
The schedule disruption is nothing new for the Hurricanes, who had four games postponed in January while they were on a COVID shutdown. Monday’s game against the Lightning was one of them, originally scheduled for January 26.
“I don’t think it matters too much,” Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton said. “Just focus on today and focus on tomorrow tomorrow. Just worry about tonight’s game and go day by day. You really can’t do much more than that.”
This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 11:28 AM.
