Hurricanes at Blues
THE STORY: Big contract or not, Jaroslav Halak may soon find himself getting a little more rest than he would like. The St. Louis starting netminder will spend Friday on the bench as the Blues host the Carolina Hurricanes for the only time this season. Halak has been dreadful to open the second of a four-year contract that will pay him $3.5 million this season. The 26-year-old has lost four of five starts and has a 3.47 goals-against average to boot. Backup Brian Elliott, who prevailed in his only previous start, gets the call against a Hurricanes team coming off an emphatic - and violent - win over the defending Stanley Cup champions from Boston. Carolina handed the Bruins a 4-1 defeat Tuesday night, weathering a storm of penalties that resulted in the Hurricanes scoring a pair of 5-on-3 goals in the decisive final period.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Carolina, Fox Sports Midwest.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (3-2-1): It's easy to forget that Carolina netminder Cam Ward is just 27 years old. It feels like a lifetime ago that the Saskatoon native led the Hurricanes to the 2006 Stanley Cup championship. They'll need him to be sharper than he's been so far this season if they hope to return to that lofty perch. Ward has been sensational for his career against the Blues, going 4-1-0 with a 1.58 goals-against average and a shutout.
ABOUT THE BLUES (2-4-0): While Halak has deservedly been raked over the coals in St. Louis, the Blues' special teams play has been even worse. St. Louis has just one power-play goal in 24 opportunities to start the season, the the worst percentage in the league. The penalty killing has also been abysmal, surrendering seven goals in 22 chances to rank second-worst. If the special-teams play doesn't improve, it won't matter who is tending goal for the Blues.
OVERTIME:
1. Carolina has prevailed in five of the last seven meetings between the clubs, including a 2-1 shootout win in their previous encounter last Dec. 11.
2. Forward David Perron took part in a surprise skate with the team Thursday. The 23-year-old hasn't played since suffering a concussion in a Nov. 4 game against San Jose, and there is no timetable for his return.
3. Friday's game pits St. Louis forward Chris Stewart against his older brother Anthony, in his first season with Carolina. Both siblings have two goals, zero assists and a plus-one rating through six games this season.
PREDICTION: Hurricanes 4, Blues 3. The Stewart brothers each manage a goal, but Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner will prove to be too tough a tandem for struggling St. Louis.