Everything you need to know ahead of Tampa Bay’s matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday.

When: Friday, October 11 – 7 p.m. ET
Where: Lenovo Center – Raleigh, NC
TV coverage: ESPN+
Radio coverage: 102.5 MHz-FM, Lightning Radio 24/7

Lines from Thursday’s Practice (subject to change)
Forwards
Jake Guentzel – Brayden Point – Nikita Kucherov
Brandon Hagel – Anthony Cirelli – Nick Paul
Mitchell Chaffee – Luke Glendening – Zemgus Girgensons
Conor Sheary – Conor Geekie – Cam Atkinson

Defensemen
Victor Hedman – J.J. Moser
Ryan McDonagh – Erik Cernak
Emil Lilleberg – Nick Perbix

Goaltenders
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Jonas Johansson

Friday’s Matchup
The Tampa Bay Lightning are set to open the 2024-25 NHL season this Friday with a 7 p.m. Eastern Conference tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes. The contest will also be the first game of the season for Carolina, which posted 111 standings points—the second most of any Eastern Conference team (New York Rangers 114)—last season. Tampa Bay is scheduled to host the Hurricanes this Saturday, Oct. 12 before the three-game season series ends with a game at the Lenovo Center on March 11. The Lightning hold a 71-52-21 all-time record in 144 games against the Hurricanes. Tampa Bay has scored 429 total goals against Carolina, leaving Florida (453 goals) as the only NHL team that has surrendered more offense to the Bolts. Nikita Kucherov scored 2-5—7 in two games versus Carolina last year, including a 6-point night on Nov. 24. He leads active Lightning players in career points (35) against the ‘Canes. Victor Hedman (30) and Brayden Point (28) have also seen success. The Bolts finished last season’s three-game series against the Hurricanes with a 2-1 record.

Injuries
Mikey Eyssimont
Jack Finley
Gabriel Fortier

The Road Ahead
Tuesday, October 15 vs. Vancouver Canucks
Thursday, October 17 vs. Vegas Golden Knights
Saturday, October 19 at Ottawa Senators