The Carolina Hurricanes will be without their No. 1 netminder tonight when they host the Caps at PNC.
Cam Ward, who has definitively beaten out Anton Khudobin for the starting gig through the first two months of the season, has suffered a lower-body ailment, forcing the ‘Canes to call up Drew MacIntyre from AHL Charlotte on an emergency recall.
It’s unclear when Ward got hurt, or the severity of his injury. His last outing was on Tuesday in a 2-1 win over Nashville in which he played very well, stopping 32 of 33 shots.
With him out, the ‘Canes will hand the reins to Khudobin tonight, and he’ll look to rebound from what’s been a rough start to the year. He’s still without a win this season -- going 0-5-2 in his seven starts -- while posting a 2.98 GAA and .900 save percentage.
Khudobin’s last game came on Nov. 29, in which he made 30 saves in a 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh.