Coyotes at Hurricanes
THE STORY: For a team looking for any sort of hope right now, going three straight games without a regulation loss has to be an accomplishment. The Carolina Hurricanes have lost 10 of their last 12 games, but the last two setbacks have come in overtime, sandwiched around a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Goaltender Cam Ward has been sharper of late and is getting some help in the form of defenseman Jay Harrison, who returned on Sunday after missing 10 games with a concussion. Harrison and Ward will get a test on Wednesday from the Phoenix Coyotes, who have started to come around on the power play. The Coyotes scored twice with the man advantage in a 2-1 victory Tuesday and have recorded power-play goals in back-to-back games for the first time since October.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, No TV.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (17-13-3): Phoenix has only two wins in its past six games as its offense has disappeared, totaling 12 goals in that stretch. Mike Smith made 19 saves in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over the Panthers but had to leave with 16:31 left in the third period due to a non-contact injury. Jason LaBarbera, who likely would have gotten the start Wednesday regardless, finished up the win. The game was an important bounce back for the Coyotes, who allowed the game-winning goal with one-tenth of a second left in a loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (10-18-6): Carolina managed a total of three shots in the third period and overtime at Florida on Sunday, squandering a 2-1 lead and its chance at back-to-back wins for the first time in nearly a month. The Hurricanes have scored two or less goals in three of their last four games. Captain Eric Staal does not have a goal in his last five games but is at least even in eight games in December to keep his plus-minus at a league-worst minus-18.
OVERTIME:
1. Carolina has taken three of the last four in the series, including a 4-3 overtime victory in Phoenix last season.
2. Ward is 3-2-0 with a 3.32 goals against average in five career starts against Phoenix.
3. LaBarbera has made one start in his career against Carolina, allowing three goals in an overtime win.