Bruins-Hurricanes Preview: Swayman Starts as NHL’s Top Teams Meet in Raleigh

Boston’s visit to Carolina puts two of the NHL’s hottest teams across from each other, with the early conference lead at stake. The Bruins are 9-2-1 and the Hurricanes 9-2-2, giving Carolina a one-point edge in both the Eastern Conference and the NHL standings. Boston opens a two-game road trip carrying an eight-game point streak, while the Hurricanes have won nine of their last 11 after opening the season with consecutive losses.

The matchup brings together two teams producing at both ends of the ice. Boston ranks among the league’s top three in goals scored and goals allowed, averaging 4.00 goals for and 2.17 against per game. Carolina sits fourth in each category, with averages of 3.92 goals for and 2.46 against. Those numbers set up a meeting where a strong defensive stretch may matter as much as finishing chances.

Boston has collected seven of a possible eight points on its latest road trip and swept a two-game homestand against Nashville and San Jose last week. The Bruins have a three-point lead atop the Atlantic Division, with Ottawa and Toronto in pursuit. Their 4-1-1 road record is a sharp early change from last season, when they went 16-16-9 away from TD Garden, the weakest road record among teams that qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Boston’s road play and goaltending

Coach Marco Sturm said Boston’s success away from home has come from sustaining its game over 60 minutes, even when the start is difficult. He also credited the goaltenders with helping the team through those stretches. In Sturm’s view, the Bruins have avoided major swings in their level of play and have been solid across full games.

Jeremy Swayman is set to start, according to NESN’s Adam Pellerin. Swayman enters with a 7-1-1 record, a 2.20 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage. Boston has made no other lineup changes, per the source report.

Sturm described Carolina as the team to beat after its championship season. He said the Hurricanes are already playing in championship form and framed the matchup as an opportunity for Boston to try to beat the best. His comments put the focus on the challenge of facing a strong opponent, rather than treating one early-season game as a measuring stick.

Carolina has its own steady story in goal. Pyotr Kochetkov is confirmed to start, according to Hurricanes reporter Walt Ruff. He is 7-0-0 with a 1.70 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. Kochetkov is coming off a 4-0 win over Jim Montgomery’s St. Louis Blues, in which he recorded his first shutout of the season. Sebastian Aho leads Carolina with 18 points, including seven goals and 11 assists.

Projected lines and special teams

Boston’s expected forward groups feature David Pastrnak alongside Pavel Zacha and JJ Peterka, while Fraser Minten centers Marat Khusnutdinov and Morgan Geekie. Elias Lindholm is between Casey Mittelstadt and James Hagens. Tanner Jeannot, Matt Poitras and Mark Kastelic make up the projected fourth line.

The expected Boston defense pairs Hampus Lindholm with Charlie McAvoy, Nikita Zadorov with Will Borgen, and Frederic Brunet with Mason Lohrei. The forward combinations and defensive pairs are from the Bruins’ morning skate report.

Carolina’s projected top line has William Carrier with Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. Nikolaj Ehlers, Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake form the next group, followed by Taylor Hall, Seth Jarvis and Jordan Martinook. Eric Robinson, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Skyler Brind’Amour are projected on the fourth line. On defense, the listed pairs are Jaccob Slavin with Jalen Chatfield, K’Andre Miller with Sean Walker, and Shayne Gostisbehere with Juuso Valimaki. Daily Faceoff supplied the projected Carolina combinations.

The special-teams comparison gives Carolina an early statistical edge. The Hurricanes’ power play is converting at 25.5 percent, eighth in the NHL, and their penalty kill is at 83.7 percent, ninth. Boston’s power play is 22.2 percent, ranked 12th, while its penalty kill is 78.6 percent, ranked 18th. If the game turns on penalties, the Bruins will need to limit Carolina’s chances and make their own opportunities count.

Game details and schedule

The game starts at 8:00 p.m. ESPN is listed for U.S. television and SN360 for Canadian television; radio coverage is on 98.5 The Sports Hub. Carolina is 2-1-1 at home, while Boston is 4-1-1 on the road, adding another useful measure to an already tight early-season matchup.

The listed season series continues with games at Carolina on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and Sunday, Dec. 13, followed by a Boston home date on Tuesday, Jan. 12. Boston’s next games are at St. Louis on Thursday, Oct. 29; against Chicago on Saturday, Oct. 31; against Vegas on Monday, Nov. 2; at Pittsburgh on Thursday, Nov. 5; and against Florida on Sunday, Nov. 8.

For Boston, the clearest test is whether its recent road form can hold against an opponent that scores often and gives up little. Carolina brings its own winning momentum and a goaltender who has yet to lose. With both teams near the top of the league in scoring and prevention, the first sustained stretch of control could shape a game between two early contenders.