Coyotes at Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes could get leading scorer Jeff Skinner back in the lineup Friday as they try to snap out of a 1-5-3 tailspin when they host the struggling Arizona Coyotes. Skinner, who has scored 20 goals for the fifth time in his seven NHL seasons, has missed the last two games with an upper-body injury but should be available after Carolina went 0-0-2 in his absence.
The Hurricanes outshot Tampa Bay 31-16 on Wednesday but lost 4-3 in overtime after falling in a shootout one night earlier at Florida. “I thought we did a good job of generating offense - maybe not as much as the game went on, but especially early on,” Carolina's Lee Stempniak told reporters. “You’d like to find a way to win those games.” The Coyotes have dropped four of their last five after a 6-3 setback at Buffalo on Thursday, getting a goal from recent acquisition Teemu Pulkkinen in his debut with the team. Radim Vrbata, who leads Arizona in scoring with 47 points, saw his career-high 10-game point streak come to an end in the loss.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona Plus, FSN Southeast (Carolina)
ABOUT THE COYOTES (22-34-7): Vrbata, an impending unrestricted free agent whom Arizona chose not to trade at the deadline on Wednesday, was held to one shot in Thursday’s loss after posting 12 points in his previous 10 games. Tobias Rieder recorded a goal and an assist Thursday while defenseman Alex Goligoski also scored for the Coyotes, who allowed 41 shots. Max Domi chipped in with an assist against Buffalo, giving him six points in as many games and 27 on the season - tying him with Rieder for third on the team.
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (25-25-10): Skinner tops the team with 40 points and Victor Rask is closing in with 36 after notching one in each of his last four contests following a 14-game drought. Rookie Sebastian Aho registered two points over the last two games to push his total to 35 and Elias Lindholm (31) helped set up three goals in the two contests in the Sunshine State. Cam Ward (21-19-8) could return to the crease after Eddie Lack played on Wednesday, but Brock McGinn is questionable after missing the game in Tampa Bay with an upper-body injury.
OVERTIME
1. The Hurricanes have won each of the last five meetings and will visit the Coyotes on Sunday.
2. Arizona D Kevin Connauton left Thursday’s game with an upper-body injury and is day-to-day.
3. Carolina D Noah Hanifin ended his 35-game goal-scoring drought on Wednesday and has notched three points in his last three contests.