Canucks at Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes can point to a number of reasons why they are struggling to stay out of the cellar in the Metropolitan Division, but a schedule that features the fewest home games and the most road contests in the league certainly hasn't helped. The Hurricanes will open a four-game homestand when they host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.
Carolina is coming off a stretch in which it played nine of 11 on the road, going 4-5-2 in that span. Six of those seven losses have been by one goal, but the Hurricanes have been a tough out at home, winning six in a row at PNC Arena. The Canucks are making the final stop of a five-game road trip and coming off consecutive losses in a weekend back-to-back to fall to 1-3-0 on the trek. "It's just tough right now. We've got to come together as a group," Vancouver netminder Jacob Markstrom said.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), FSN Carolina
ABOUT THE CANUCKS (12-15-2): Jannik Hansen returned to the lineup in Sunday's 3-0 loss at Washington after missing more than a month with broken ribs. Hansen, who registered a career-high 22 goals last season, was relieved to hear that Vancouver general manager Jim Benning will not ask key veterans to waive their no-trade clauses. “Rumors are part of the game and stuff gets said all the time," Hansen said. "When it’s more than rumors, that’s when you can see it on guys. It weighs on them.”
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (11-11-6): Carolina also could be getting back a key player as forward Jordan Staal appears poised to return to the lineup after missing seven games due to a concussion. Staal practiced Monday for the first time since he was injured, the result of taking a stick to the head against Florida on Nov. 27, and a decision for his status is expected to be made at Tuesday's morning skate. “I think the biggest thing is to see how he reacts to (practice),” coach Bill Peters said.
OVERTIME
1. Hurricanes F Jeff Skinner, the team leader with 22 points, has one assist in eight games versus the Canucks.
2. Vancouver has yet to post back-to-back regulation wins this season.
3. Carolina top-ranked penalty kill has snuffed out all 18 short-handed situations in six games this month.