Oilers at Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes have dropped to the NHL's version of .500 - and that usually translates to spectator status once the playoffs roll around. The Hurricanes look to reverse a slide that includes eight defeats in their last 11 games when they play host to the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday afternoon. A 5-1 defeat at Boston on Saturday dropped Carolina into seventh place in the Metropolitan Division and eight points behind Philadelphia for the final playoff slot in the Eastern Conference.
The Oilers have staggered through five losing streaks of at least five games but they have actually played well since a six-game skid from Jan. 12-24. Edmonton has lost two straight following Friday's 2-1 shootout loss at Detroit but is 8-4-3 in its last 15 heading into Sunday's finale of a four-game road trip. "It's quiet progress," coach Dallas Eakins told the Edmonton Journal. "I'm not going to jump up and down and throw my pompoms up, but this could have turned very ugly, where they just started mailing it in. But they're not."
TV: 3 p.m. ET, RSW (Edmonton), FSN Carolina
ABOUT THE OILERS (23-36-9): Edmonton is 1-1-1 on its road trip but has not lost back-to-back games in regulation since Jan. 21-24. While recently acquired Viktor Fasth has acquitted himself well in his first two starts following a wobbly first period in Minnesota, Ben Scrivens has cooled off after a strong beginning with the Oilers, surrendering a combined 10 goals in his last two outings. Edmonton could use some more production from its power play, failing on its last 11 chances with the man advantage and going 2-for-36 since Feb. 1.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (29-29-9): Cam Ward missed nearly two months to injury but turned in back-to-back strong starts in wins over the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres before yielding three third-period goals in Saturday's 5-1 loss to Boston. That performance and the back-to-back could clear the way for Anton Khudobin to make his first start since March 8, when he was chased after giving up four goals on 22 shots. Khudobin, who was signed to a two-year contract extension earlier this month, carried the load while Ward was on the shelf and is 14-9-0 this season.
OVERTIME
1. Hurricanes F Alexander Semin has four goals and five assists during a seven-game point streak.
2. Edmonton RW Jordan Eberle scored the winning goal in overtime as his team defeated visiting Carolina 5-4 on Dec. 10.
3. Khudobin has stopped 40 of 41 shots in two career appearances versus Edmonton.