Hurricanes at Stars
The Carolina Hurricanes look to build off a strong weekend when they begin a four-game road trip Tuesday against the league-leading Dallas Stars. The Hurricanes knocked off Eastern Conference-leading Montreal on Saturday and got a late power-play goal from defenseman Justin Faulk to edge Arizona 5-4 the following night.
“For us to stick with it and grind to get back and get that late goal is something good to see,” Faulk told reporters Sunday. “If that’s a sign we’re growing, we’ll take it.” The two wins followed three straight losses by Carolina, which will have to find its best form against the league’s top offensive team. Dallas has earned points in five consecutive games (3-0-2) and boasts a league-best 42 points – one better than Montreal – after Friday’s 2-1 overtime loss to Edmonton. Stars captain Jamie Benn tops the league with 18 goals but will be trying to end a season-high three-game drought.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Carolinas, FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (10-13-4): Kris Versteeg responded to being a healthy scratch Saturday by recording a goal and an assist against Arizona and is tied with Victor Rask and captain Eric Staal for second on the team with 16 points. Faulk leads the Hurricanes with 19 points as all nine of his goals have come on the power play, which tied him with Chicago’s Patrick Kane for the league lead through Sunday. The Hurricanes are in the bottom four of the NHL in both goals for (2.19) and against (2.96).
ABOUT THE STARS (20-5-2): Benn and Tyler Seguin have recorded 35 points apiece, trailing only Kane (42) for first in the league, and have led one of the top power-play units despite an 0-for-11 drought over the last four games. John Klingberg is among the top-scoring defensemen in the NHL with 27 points but has gone without one in his last three contests. The Stars will have to sharpen up defensively as their goaltending tandem of Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen has allowed 19 goals over the last six games.
OVERTIME
1. The Hurricanes held Benn and Seguin without a goal but dropped a 4-1 decision at home on Nov. 6.
2. Dallas D Jason Demers (upper body) has missed the last two games and is questionable for Tuesday.
3. Carolina leads the NHL in faceoff percentage (54.7) while Dallas was eighth (50.8) entering Monday’s action.