Jets at Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are trying to stay close in the Eastern Conference playoff chase and a repeat performance from less than two weeks ago against the Winnipeg Jets will help bolster their chances. The Hurricanes are riding a four-game point streak (2-0-2) entering Tuesday's matchup against the visiting Jets, including a 5-3 win at Winnipeg on Feb. 5.
The goaltending situation for each team has changed since their meeting earlier this month. Carolina netminder Cam Warm had to exit Saturday's 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders due to a lower-body injury and is listed as doubtful for Tuesday. Conversely, Winnipeg's Ondrej Pavelec was back in net for the first time since mid-November and earned the victory in Saturday's 2-1 shootout win at Edmonton. “It was only one game,” Pavelec said. “We’ve got a long road in front of us and we are in the hunt for the playoffs so we need a lot more. It felt good to be back on the ice for sure.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TSN3 (Winnipeg), FSN Carolinas
ABOUT THE JETS (25-27-3): Winnipeg received a jolt Monday when it was revealed that defenseman Mark Stuart will be sidelined for four-to-six weeks with a broken hand sustained against Edmonton. Stuart, who will be replaced by Adam Pardy, was hurt six minutes into the game but played the rest of the way. “He somehow played the game that he played, which was as good a game as he’s had in a number of weeks. ... I don’t know how he did it,” coach Paul Maurice said. “After the game, he said he should have it looked at and it turned out it was a fairly significant break in his hand.”
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (25-21-10): While Eddie Lack is expected to start in place of Ward, Carolina is playing a wait-and-see game on leading scorer and defenseman Justin Faulk, who has sat out the past two games with a lower-body injury. Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said Monday that Faulk, who has not practiced since he was hurt last Thursday, will skate Tuesday morning before a decision is made on his playing status. Andrej Nestrasil had been mired in a nine-game goal-scoring drought before tallying twice in the win at Winnipeg and has four goals in his last four contests.
OVERTIME
1. Winnipeg has won its last five games at Carolina.
2. Hurricanes C Jordan Staal has 12 goals and 21 points in 27 games versus the Jets, including a three-point outing on Feb. 5.
3. Jets D Toby Enstrom will play in his 600th career game Tuesday.