Oilers at Hurricanes
With a season-high five-game losing streak now behind them, the Carolina Hurricanes attempt to finish their three-game homestand with back-to-back victories when they host the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. Carolina was shut out by Los Angeles in the opener of the string at PNC Arena but bounced back with a dominant 5-1 triumph over Philadelphia on Tuesday as 19-year-old rookie Sebastian Aho recorded his first career hat trick.
The Hurricanes matched the amount of goals they scored during their slide in the win over the Flyers while clamping down defensively, limiting Philadelphia to 16 shots and a lone tally after surrendering 23 on the skid. Edmonton had its three-game road winning streak halted Thursday as it was blanked 2-0 in Nashville. It was just the second time this season the Oilers came up empty, with the first being an identical 2-0 setback against Ottawa on Oct. 30. Edmonton is looking to complete a sweep of the two-game season series as it held on for a 3-2 home victory Oct. 18 after entering the third period with a three-goal lead.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Edmonton), FSN Carolinas
ABOUT THE OILERS (28-17-8): All-Star Connor McDavid is in danger of being kept off the scoresheet in three consecutive games for the first time this season. The 20-year-old captain, who leads the league in scoring with 59 points, entered the All-Star break with a six-game point streak but has been blanked by Minnesota and Nashville since the campaign resumed. Defenseman Kris Russell, who has finished in the top three in the NHL in blocked shots each of the last three seasons, increased his league-leading total this campaign to 141 by recording a game-high six Thursday.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (22-20-7): Aho, who also notched an assist versus the Flyers for his first four-point performance in the NHL, pulled into second place on the team in goals with 15 — nine of which have come over his last 14 games. The hat trick was the first by a Carolina rookie since Erik Cole accomplished the feat on Dec. 21, 2001, against the Atlanta Thrashers. Aho is three goals behind club leader Jeff Skinner, whose tally Tuesday ended a six-game point drought that followed back-to-back three-point efforts.
OVERTIME
1. Hurricanes RW Lee Stempniak, who scored twice in the loss at Edmonton earlier this season, is one goal away from becoming the seventh member of the team in double digits.
2. Oilers G Cam Talbot could make his second start in as many nights, as he is 4-0-0 lifetime against the Hurricanes.
3. Carolina G Eddie Lack, who hasn't played since Nov. 10 because of a pair of concussions, stopped 59-of-62 shots over two games with Charlotte of the American Hockey League last weekend and could start against Edmonton or the following day versus the New York Islanders.