Hurricanes at Ducks
Losing two straight games does not sit well with the Anaheim Ducks, but coach Bruce Boudreau quickly put things into perspective as the team prepares to host the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday. "When we’re talking about two games as being a slide, then I think that’s a good thing when it comes to the whole scheme of things," Boudreau told reporters. "There’s a lot of pride in the room. We’re upset that we've lost two. It doesn't mean we’re not going to lose three, but they’re sure cognizant of that fact." Anaheim has 70 points - tied with Nashville for most in the NHL - and won six straight and eight of nine prior to its slide.
The Ducks lost at San Jose 6-3 on Thursday and to Chicago 4-1 on Friday - the second time this season they allowed 10 goals in back-to-back games to the Sharks and Blackhawks. Carolina began its four-game road trip with a 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday and has 40 points - only Edmonton and Buffalo have fewer - despite going 7-3-2 in January. The Hurricanes, who are 3-1-1 in their last five games, are the second-lowest scoring team at two goals per game (Sabres, 1.7).
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN Carolina, FSN Prime Ticket (Anaheim)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (17-26-6): Coach Bill Peters on Saturday made lineup changes, using defenseman John-Michael Liles, and forwards Andrej Nestrasil and Alexander Semin instead of Brett Bellemore, Chris Terry and Elias Lindholm. "I thought they all played well,'' Peters told reporters. "They were fine at times, and it looked like some of them hadn't played in a while, and that's to be expected. We'll watch it all and get everybody's opinion to see if they play again in Anaheim." Captain Eric Staal has team highs of 16 goals and 30 points, but hasn't recorded a point in two games after tallying three times in the previous two contests.
ABOUT THE DUCKS (32-12-6): Boudreau made a change in his top two lines as Matt Beleskey, who shares the team lead in goals with Corey Perry (19), moves back to the top unit with captain Ryan Getzlaf (50 points, tied for eighth in the league) and Perry. Patrick Maroon drops to the second line with Ryan Kesler and Kyle Palmieri as Boudreau said "Matty’s been up and down with that line and Patty’s been playing with three of the four lines. It might be a breath of fresh air.” Perry hasn't scored in five games - matching his longest drought of the season - while Getzlaf hasn't collected a point in three contests.
OVERTIME
1. Carolina boasts the NHL's second-best penalty killing unit at 87.5 percent and has extinguished 41-of-42 power plays over the last 17 games.
2. The Ducks, who begin a five-game road trip in Nashville on Thursday, haven't lost three in a row since 0-0-3 and 0-1-2 slides in November.
3. Anaheim won the last meeting 5-3 on March 2 behind two goals from Perry and have won three straight at home over Carolina.