Hurricanes at Sharks
The Carolina Hurricanes continue their search for offense as they resume their seven-game road trip against the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. After totaling five goals in its first three contests — all losses — this season, Carolina began its trek by breaking out for five in a triumph at Detroit.
Goals have been scarce since then for the Hurricanes, who have tallied only twice over their last three contests (1-2-0). San Jose also is sputtering offensively of late, scoring a total of four goals during its three-game losing streak. The Sharks tallied five times in two of their first three contests this season but have netted only six goals in their last five. Carolina and San Jose split their two meetings last campaign, with each team winning on the road.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FSN Carolinas, CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (2-5-0): Defenseman Justin Faulk shares the team lead of two goals with captain Eric Staal and Victor Rask, with both of his tallies coming on the power play. They are the only goals with the man advantage this season for Carolina, which is tied for 28th in the league with an eight percent success rate (2-for-25). All 18 skaters registered at least one shot in Friday's shutout loss, with Rask leading the way with five.
ABOUT THE SHARKS (4-3-0): The Sharks assigned Micheal Haley to the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League on Friday, a day after the center made his season debut in a home loss to Los Angeles. Haley has scored two goals in 57 NHL games but none in 28 contests since the 2010-11 campaign. Patrick Marleau leads the team with three goals but has netted only one in his last five games.
OVERTIME
1. Sharks captain Joe Pavelski has scored just one goal in six games since his three-point performance in the season opener.
2. Carolina C Andrej Nestrasil left Friday's game in the second period with a knee injury and did not return.
3. Of the 11 players who have scored a goal for the Sharks, only one is a defenseman (Brent Burns).