Carolina Hurricanes vs. Pittsburgh Penguins preview

Posted Friday, November 10, 2006

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Saturday, Nov. 11, 7:00 p.m. (ET)

RBC Center * Raleigh, NC

Hurricanes: 8-6-3 (19 pts.), 2nd Southeast Division

Penguins: 7-4-2 (16 pts.), 3rd Atlantic Division

* All statistics prior to Pittsburgh's game against Ottawa, Nov. 10

TOMORROW'S GAME

The Carolina Hurricanes host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday (7 p.m., Hurricanes Radio Network) in the second game of Carolina's four-game home stand. In the home stand's first game, the Hurricanes shut out Washington 5-0 on Thursday behind Cam Ward's 20-save performance and Erik Cole's fourth career hat trick. Carolina continues its home stand on Monday against Buffalo and wraps up the home stand on Wednesday against the New York Rangers.

There will be no FSN South telecast of Saturday's game, but NHL CenterIce subscribers will be able to view FSN Pittsburgh's telecast. In the Raleigh/Durham market, Time Warner Cable CenterIce subscribers can view the game on channel 736. As always, listeners can tune into Hall of Fame broadcaster Chuck Kaiton's call of the game on the Hurricanes Radio Network.

MILESTONE WATCH

Captain Rod Brind'Amour earned his 1,000th NHL point with an assist at Ottawa on Nov. 4

Right wing Erik Cole is one assist shy of 100 for his NHL career

CURRENT STREAKS

Goaltender Cam Ward has started eight consecutive games

Center Eric Staal has recorded points three straight games (11/4-11/9: 2g, 2a) and scored goals in two straight (11/7-11/9: 2g, 1a)

Left wing Ray Whitney has recorded assists and points in each of the last three games (11/4-11/9: 2g, 3a)

Captain Rod Brind'Amour has recorded points in each of the last three games (11/4-11/9: 1g, 2a)

Right wing Erik Cole has recorded points in each of the last three games (11/4-11/9: 4g, 3a)

Television: No Carolina broadcast (FSN Pittsburgh available via CenterIce)

Radio: Hurricanes Radio Network - WWMY 102.9 FM (Raleigh - flagship), Pirate Radio - WGHB 1250 AM and WDLX 930 AM (Greenville, NC... check listings for games), News Talk Radio WFNC 640 AM (Fayetteville, NC... Saturdays and Sundays)

Carolina Notes

Hurricanes winger Erik Cole notched his fourth career hat trick in Carolina's 5-0 win against Washington on Nov. 9. Cole's last hat trick prior to that came in Carolina's 8-2 win at Montreal on Jan. 31, 2006. The 28-year-old's four career hat tricks rank him first in the Hurricanes' record books since the team moved to North Carolina prior to the 1997-98 season. Cole was tied with Sami Kapanen who had three hat tricks in a Hurricanes uniform prior to being traded to Philadelphia. Kevyn Adams and Eric Staal rank tied for third on the Hurricanes' all-time hat tricks list behind Cole and Kapanen.

Hurricanes netminder Cam Ward has started each of the Hurricanes last eight games and played in 15 of the team's 17 games this season. On Nov. 9, he posted his first NHL regular-season shutout, making 20 saves en route to a 5-0 Carolina win. Ward stopped a career-high 40 shots in a 5-2 win in Atlanta on Nov. 1 to earn his sixth win of the season. The second-year NHLer and 2006 Conn Smythe Trophy-winner played in 28 regular-season games in his rookie campaign last year, chalking up a 14-8-2 record and a 3.68 goals-against average. In the postseason, Ward registered a 2.14 goals-against average and posted a 15-8 record en route to being named the playoffs' most valuable player.
 

INJURY REPORT

Defenseman Tim Gleason, upper body, missed 5 games

Defenseman Frantisek Kaberle, shoulder, out, missed 17 games

Left wing Cory Stillman, shoulder, out, missed 17 games

 

*All times are local... Times and locations subject to change

AGAINST THE PENGUINS

Saturday marks the second of four meetings this season between the Hurricanes and the Penguins, and the first of two contests between the clubs at the RBC Center. Pittsburgh took the teams' first meeting at Mellon Arena on Oct. 14 by a 5-1 score. Last season, the Hurricanes posted a 3-1-0 record in four games against the Penguins, scoring a shootout win at the RBC Center and two wins at Mellon Arena. Eric Staal led all scorers with 12 points (4g, 8a) in the four-game set while Mark Recchi, who joined the Hurricanes at the trading deadline, paced Pittsburgh with five points (4g, 1a) in the season series between the teams. The Carolina franchise holds a 42-45-11-1 all-time record against the Penguins, with a 23-22-5 home record and a 19-23-6-1 record in the Civic Arena.

Scoring Leaders and Goaltenders

CAROLINA GP G A PTS

17 Brind'Amour 17 5 16 21
13 Whitney 17 5 16 21
12 Staal 17 10 9 19

GOALTENDERS GP GAA W-L-OT SV%

30 Ward 15 2.90 8-5-2 .901
47 Grahame 3 4.71 0-1-1 .823

PITTSBURGH GP G A PTS

87 Crosby 13 6 15 21
71 Malkin 9 7 5 12
55 Gonchar 13 2 9 11
19 Whitney 13 2 9 11

GOALTENDERS GP GAA W-L-OT SV%

29 Fleury 12 2.76 7-4-1 .917
41 Thibault 2 3.33 0-0-1 .907