Leighton, Sutter, Whitney to play

Michael Leighton will get the start in goal tonight for the Canes, and forwards Brandon Sutter and Ray Whitney will be in the lineup, coach Paul Maurice said Saturday morning.

Maurice said he would wait until after Friday's game against Atlanta to decide on playing Cam Ward in net again tonight in Nashville, the Canes' last preseason game. Ward faced 22 shots in the Canes' 4-3 win over the Thrashers and has played two of the first three exhibition games.

"I talked to (assistant coach) Tom Barrasso and Cam about feel and sharpness," Maurice said. "That's why it's great having a goaltender on your staff who has been through what Cam goes through. And they feel comfortable."

Whitney, who had a goal and two assists against the Thrashers, was hit in the face with a puck in the final minute. But Maurice said Whitney was fine and would play tonight.

"He said his visor took the most of it, which is a good argument for visors," Maurice said.

With the training camp roster at 25, tonight's game figures to be a big one for Sutter, who is fighting for a roster spot and has had a strong camp. Tim Conboy also will play, Maurice said, as Erik Cole and Tom Kostopoulos will not make the trip.

Cole has a "minor, minor thing — it's not even an injury," Maurice said. Kostopoulos, woozy after a fight with the Thrashers' Josh Gratton is OK, the coach said.

"We just wanted to get Sutter in another game, Conboy in a game," Maurice said.