at 
PNC Arena — Raleigh, N.C.
TV: MSG Plus Radio: WRHU, WRCN
The Least You Should Know About the Hurricanes… New Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour will make his debut vs. the Islanders. He was named as Carolina’s new head coach on May 8 and had spent the previous seven seasons as an assistant coach with the Hurricanes… Carolina went 5-0-1 during the preseason this year, which was their best record since they relocated from Hartford… Calvin de Haan, Micheal Ferland, Dougie Hamilton, Jordan Martinook, Curtis McElhinney, Petr Mrazek and Andrei Svechnikov will all make their debuts for the Hurricanes.
After an offseason of immense change, the Islanders finally open the 2018-19 season tonight in Carolina. It is the first of four meetings between the Metro Division foes this season.
The Islanders and Hurricanes split the season series each winning two games apiece last season. The Islanders shut out the Hurricanes 3-0 during their last trip to Raleigh in February.
Tonight will mark the debuts of new coaches for both Carolina and New York. Barry Trotz was hired by the Islanders in June after leading the Washington Capitals to a Stanley Cup championship.
The new bench boss will go with Thomas Greiss in net against the Hurricanes. Greiss started three games for the Isles during the preseason.
“When I first got the opportunity to coach the Islanders, we talked to every player. It was clear as day to me that Anders would be the fifteenth captain of the Islanders." – #Isles Head Coach Barry Trotz pic.twitter.com/TKARjOhd0e
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 4, 2018
“I just thought they both had really good moments in the preseason,” Trotz told reporters in Carolina. “Just like anybody else, they’ll have some hiccups. I just felt Thomas was a little more prepared to go right now based on performance. We’re not in a development league, we’re in a performance league. I thought he just edged out Robin to start. That doesn’t mean that’ll be the way it is all year. It’s just based on training camp and preseason.”
Josh Bailey did not skate during the team’s morning skate, but he will play tonight. The tenured Islander told Newsday’s Andrew Gross that he was feeling some lower back tightness, but would be fine to play.
Barry Trotz said Josh Bailey will playing tonight in #Isles season opener. "0.0 percent chance" he won't play per coach.
— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) October 4, 2018
Morning Skate Lines
#Isles in morning skate
Beauvillier-Barzal-Bailey
Lee-Nelson-Eberle
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck
Komarov-Filppula-Fritz
Pelech-Pulock
Hickey-Leddy
Sbisa-Boychuk
Looks like Thomas Greiss is in the starter's net.— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) October 4, 2018
Morning skate lines: Aho with Teravainen, Ferland; Staal with Foegele, Williams; Necas with McGinn, Zykov; Wallmark with Svechnikov, Martinook; On D: Slavin-Hamilton, de Haan-Faulk, van Riemsdyk-Pesce
— Chip Alexander (@ice_chip) October 4, 2018
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