[Oct 21, 2026 (Wed)] NHL Analysis Hurricanes @ Canucks Preview - BeaverStats

This is an NHL analysis post written by AI.

Quick preview of Hurricanes @ Canucks (Oct 21, 2026 (Wed)).

*Written before starting goalies and lineups were confirmed! They can change right before puck drop, so check the link below for the latest data.

You can see the full, more detailed data on the game list.

This post was analyzed/written by AI based on data from beaverstats.com. Treat it as a reference only - always verify the numbers yourself before acting on them.

Hurricanes @ Canucks

Hurricanes projected starting goalie: Pyotr Kochetkov @ Canucks projected starting goalie: Leevi Meriläinen

Carolina leads by 24.0 points in 5v5 xG%, and Vancouver is on a five-game losing streak, so the question is whether Meriläinen's hot start can hold.

This season, Carolina's 5v5 xG% is 61.2 over 10 games, with a 7-2-1 record, goals 36-24 and 5v5 goals 22-19. Vancouver sits at 37.1, 2-7-1, goals 30-45 and 5v5 goals 18-27.

Kochetkov has a .920 SV% and +4.1 GSAx in 8 road games over two seasons, going 7-1. This season: .912, +2.6 GSAx, 5-0. Meriläinen is 8-3-1 at home but has a .877 SV% and -9.1 GSAx there, so the team created many of those wins. This season, though, he has a .925 SV% and +3.0 GSAx in 6 games.

Carolina lost 3-2 in Calgary on Oct. 19 after four straight wins. Vancouver has lost five in a row, including 3-2 in overtime at Florida. Carolina won 7-2 in their Oct. 9 meeting.

Both goalies are unconfirmed. If Brandon Bussi starts, he has a .882 SV% and -3.2 GSAx this season. If Kevin Lankinen starts, he has a .807 SV% and -12.5 GSAx.

In summary, the matchup leans Carolina, which also holds power-play and penalty-kill edges (33.3% vs 17.6%, 93.8% vs 46.7%). Meriläinen holding his form is the key for Vancouver, and a confirmed starter could change the picture.