Panthers at Hurricanes
THE STORY: Buried
at the bottom of the Southeast Division standings, the Carolina
Hurricanes made a dramatic move to jump-start the team by firing coach
Paul Maurice on Monday with the season less than one-third over. Maurice
was the second coach in the division to get the axe Monday, following
Bruce Boudreau's departure from the Washington Capitals. Taking over
behind the Carolina bench will be Kirk Muller, a former NHL All-Star
whose only head coaching experience amounts to 17 games with the
Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League this season. A former
assistant with the Montreal Canadiens, Muller will make his head
coaching debut Tuesday against the visiting Florida Panthers, a team
that had caused the biggest shakeup in the Southeast prior to the dual
firings Monday. Florida has turned things upside down in the division,
going from worst (last season) to a surprising first this season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Florida, FS Carolina
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (12-7-4):
Florida was swept by Tampa Bay in a back-to-back over the weekend to
halt a three-game winning streak. The schedule has been a source of
dissension. Saturday’s loss to Tampa Bay was the fifth game in eight
days, and Tuesday’s visit to Carolina marks the start of seven games –
six on the road – in 13 days. Florida is 1 for 19 on the power play in
the past four, including 0 for 6 Saturday. Goaltender Scott Clemmensen
rejoined the team Monday.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (8-13-4):
Carolina has the second-fewest points in the Eastern Conference despite
playing the most games. A defense that has allowed a league-worst 83
goals isn’t helping. Captain Eric Staal scored in Sunday’s 4-3 loss at
Ottawa, only his fifth goal of the season and sixth point in November.
He is also a league-worst minus-17. The Hurricanes have lost three
straight and are 3-9-1 in their last 13, ending Maurice’s second stint
with the club. He was 384-391-145 with the team.
OVERTIME:
1. The Panthers have nightmares when visiting the Hurricanes. They are 4-24-2 in the last 30 meetings in Carolina.
2. Muller was the No. 2 overall pick in the 1984 draft. The top selection was kind of a no-brainer - Mario Lemieux.