car/phx info

[Aces High]

Carolina Hurricanes (18-30-9-6) at Phoenix Coyotes (23-26-8-4), 9 p.m.

(Sports Network) - The Carolina Hurricanes try to halt a five-game winless skid tonight when they visit the Phoenix Coyotes at America West Arena.

The 2002 Eastern Conference champions are 0-2-3 during the lull, and 1-7-3-2 in their last 13. On Sunday they capped off a three-game homestand with a 4-0 loss to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

Ducks rookie Martin Gerber stymied the Canes with 28 saves, and Anaheim posted two goals in the third period to break the game open. Carolina has managed a mere eight goals in the last five games and ranks last in the NHL with 132 tallies overall.

With 51 points, the Hurricanes sit 13th in the Eastern Conference -- 15 behind eighth-place Boston. They are also in danger of falling further, as Atlanta and Buffalo are only two points back.

The Canes, 0-8-2-2 in their last 12 on the road, open a three-game away swing tonight. They'll visit Toronto on Saturday.

Phoenix, meanwhile, is 0-1-1 on the heels of a four-game winning streak, including Sunday's 4-2 loss to Calgary to open a three-match homestand. Deron Quint and Ladislav Nagy scored power-play goals for the Coyotes, but that was hardly enough to overcome a four-goal performance by the Flames' Jarome Iginla. Sean Burke allowed three goals on 32 shots in his first game back from a knee injury that sidelined him for 19 games.

The Coyotes, with 58 points, are 12th in the Western Conference -- nine behind eighth-place Edmonton. Phoenix, which has lost three of its last four home contests, will welcome Anaheim to town on Friday.

Carolina defeated Phoenix, 3-2, in Raleigh on November 12 and has won two straight and three of the last four meetings.


2002-03 Head-to-head record Carolina 1-0 (1-0 at Car; 0-0 at Pho)
2001-02 Head-to-head record Carolina 1-0 (1-0 at Car; 0-0 at Pho)
2000-01 Head-to-head record Tied 1-1 (Car 0-1 at Home; 1-0 at Pho)
1999-00 Head-to-head record Phoenix 2-0 (1-0 at Car; 1-0 at Pho)
Home Record Carolina 10-12-7-3; Phoenix 10-13-5-1
Away Record Carolina 8-18-2-3; Phoenix 13-13-3-3
Record vs. Pacific Division Carolina 2-4-0-1
Record vs. Southeast Division Phoenix 3-3-1-0
Record vs. Western Conference Carolina 6-8-1-3
Record vs. Eastern Conference Phoenix 7-9-1-1

2002-2003 Meetings
11/12 - Carolina, 3-2 (at Car)

2001-2002 Meetings
11/04 - Carolina, 1-0 ot (at Car)

2000-2001 Meetings
02/07 - Carolina, 2-1 ot (at Pho)
02/16 - Phoenix, 2-0 (at Car)


Game Notes
Note - Carolina has won two straight and three of the last four meetings.
Note - These two teams are 3-3-1 in the last seven meetings.
Note - Carolina is 6-3-2 in the last 11 meetings.
Note - Carolina snapped a two-game series road winless streak on 02/07/01.
Note - Carolina is 3-1-1 in Phoenix.
Note - Phoenix has lost two straight after unbeaten in its last three in Car.
Note - These two teams are 2-2-1 in the five meetings in Carolina.
Note - Carolina is 1-7-3-2 in its last 13 games.
Note - Carolina is winless (0-8-2-2) in its last 12 road games.
Note - Carolina is 1-10-2 in Wednesday games this season.
Note - Phoenix is 4-1-1 in its last six games.
Note - Phoenix has lost three of its last four home games.

Carolina last five games Phoenix last five games

02/15 - T at Philadelphia, 2-2 ot 02/15 - W at St. Louis, 5-3
02/18 - L at Toronto, 3-4 02/18 - W vs. Columbus, 5-2
02/19 - T vs. Boston, 1-1 ot 02/20 - W at Chicago, 2-1
02/21 - T vs. Tampa Bay, 2-2 ot 02/21 - T at Dallas, 2-2 ot
02/23 - L vs. Anaheim, 0-4 02/23 - L vs. Calgary, 2-4

 

[Aces High]

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- The Phoenix Coyotes try to start a new unbeaten streak Wednesday as they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday.

The Coyotes had a five-game unbeaten streak (4-0-1) snapped with a disappointing 4-2 home loss to the Calgary Flames on Sunday. Goaltender Sean Burke returned from a knee injury allowed four goals to Jarome Iginla.

Burke had not played since January 3 in Detroit and has missed 38 games with knee and ankle injuries this season. He spent five seasons with the Hartford Whalers and played 25 games in the franchise's first season in Carolina (1997-98). He is 5-8-3 with a 3.18 goals-against average in 17 games against the Hartford-Carolina franchise. After a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season, the Hurricanes are just two point ahead of Atlanta and Buffalo, which are tied for the worst record in the NHL. Carolina was blanked, 4-0, by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on Sunday to fall to 0-2-3 in their last five games and 3-18-4-3 in their last 28 contests.

The Hurricanes 0-8-2-2 in their last 12 road games, which is three away from the franchise record, which was set November 11, 1979-January 9, 1980, when the Whalers and went 0-11-4.

Carolina took the first meeting of the season at home on November 12, 3-2.


February 25, 2003
Things have changed quite a bit for the Carolina Hurricanes since their first meeting of the season with the Phoenix Coyotes.
The sinking Hurricanes look to end a five-game winless streak and complete a season sweep of the Coyotes when the teams meet at America West Arena.

Carolina's trip to the Stanley Cup finals last season wasn't looking like a fluke when the teams met at the RBC Center on Nov. 12. Carolina won that game 3-2 to earn a point for the 10th time in 11 games.

The Hurricanes' season has turned sour since, as they have fallen into 13th place in the Eastern Conference and won't even make the playoffs a season after facing the Detroit Red Wings for the Stanley Cup.

The Hurricanes fell 4-0 to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on Sunday, snapping a modest three-game home unbeaten streak. Carolina has won just three times since Dec. 22.

``There are no excuses,'' defenseman Bret Hedican said. ``We've made a lot of steps forward in the last five or six games and we just weren't ready to play. I wasn't ready to play and I made some mistakes that cost us some goals.''

The Hurricanes allowed Mighty Ducks backup Martin Gerber to record his first NHL shutout with 28 saves.

Carolina hasn't won a road game since beating Boston on Jan. 4.

The Hurricanes should have Arturs Irbe to back up Kevin Weekes on Wednesday, as their former No. 1 goaltender returned from the minors Monday. Irbe, who won 10 playoff games during Carolina's run to the cup finals, went unclaimed on waivers and was sent down Feb. 13.

The Coyotes were glad to see Jarome Iginla and Calgary leave town after losing 4-2 to the Flames on Sunday. Iginla scored four times as Calgary snapped a six-game losing streak against Phoenix.

The defeat dropped the Coyotes to 0-1-1 since a four-game winning streak. They're slowly fading from playoff contention.

Sean Burke struggled somewhat in his first action since coming off the injured list Thursday, allowing four goals on 33 shots.

``I had quite a layoff, and it was my first game-condition that I have had in a long time,'' said Burke, who missed 19 games with a sprained right knee and has missed 48 games this season. ``It was very disappointing to not get a win or help our team.''

STANDINGS (through Feb. 24): Hurricanes - 51 points, 4th place, 17 PB, Southeast Division. Coyotes - 58 points, 4th place, 27 PB, Pacific Division.

TEAM LEADERS: Hurricanes - Jeff O'Neill, 24 goals and 48 points; O'Neill and Ron Francis, 24 assists; Sean Hill, 121 PIM. Coyotes - Mike Johnson, 18 goals, 33 assists and 51 points; Todd Simpson, 97 PIM.

SPECIAL TEAMS (through Feb. 24): Hurricanes - Power play: 15.1 percent (49 for 325), 19th in NHL. Penalty killing: 82.0 percent (259 for 316), 22nd. Coyotes - Power play: 14.1 percent (43 for 305), 24th. Penalty killing: 84.0 percent (262 for 312), 13th.

GOALTENDERS: Hurricanes - Weekes (11-19-7, 2 SO, 2.49 GAA); Irbe (7-17-2, 3.06). Coyotes - Burke (5-4-0, 1, 2.27); Brian Boucher (14-15-7, 2.81).

SEASON SERIES: Hurricanes, 1-0.

LAST MEETING: Nov. 12; Hurricanes, 3-2. At Raleigh, N.C., Weekes stopped 27 shots for his eighth win as the Hurricanes improved to 4-0-1-1 to start a franchise-record nine-game homestand.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS
Hurricanes - 8-18-2-3 on the road
Coyotes - 10-13-5-1 at home.