Game Day Canes at Coyotes

Carolina Hurricanes at Arizona Coyotes
February 5, 2015 - 9:00 pm ET
Gila River Arena - Glendale, AZ
TV - Fox Sports Carolinas
Radio - 99.9 FM The Fan
SB Nation Rival Blog - Five for Howling

Fancy Stats

	Hurricanes	Coyotes
Record	17-26-7	19-26-6
Points	41	44
Division Rank	8th Metro	6th Pacific
Conference Rank	15th EC	13th WC
Streak	OT 1	Won 2
Power Play %	16.8%	22.9%
Penalty Kill %	87.1%	76.9%
Goals/Game	2.12	2.29
Goals Against/Game	2.58	3.28
Shots/Game	29.5	29.5
Shots Against/Game	28.2	31.8
ES Goals For %	42.9%	38.9%
ES Corsi For %	50.7%	48.7%
ES PDO	97.4	97.0
PIM/Game	7.6	9.8
Goaltender	Ward	Smith
Record	11-18-4	9-21-4
ES Save Percentage	.914	.893
GAA	2.42	3.41
Goaltender	Khudobin	Domingue
Record	6-8-3	1-0-0
ES Save Percentage	.911	.852
GAA	2.55	3.08

Stats via NHL.com and War on Ice

Game Notes

• The Canes and Coyotes wrap up their season series tonight in Glendale. When they met in Raleigh on November 1st, both teams were in last place in their respective conferences. Now both have inched up the rankings one spot, largely due to a lack of anything resembling NHL hockey coming out of either Edmonton or Buffalo.
• The Canes and Cam Ward shut out the Coyotes 3-0 in that November game. It was their first win of the 2014-15 season and the first for Bill Peters as head coach.
• The big story for the Canes today is, again, a change in the forward lines, and it appears that this time Jeff Skinner and Riley Nash will be the recipients of the Bill Peters accountability scratch. At yesterday's practice, Skinner rotated in on line rushes, and Nash dressed as a defenseman and took rushes with John-Michael Liles. Though nothing is confirmed until today's morning skate, after practice Peters commented that Skinner's "B-game" had not been sufficient to cover his lack of offense. Skinner didn't have his best game on Tuesday, on the ice for two goals against in the third period, the second one the game-tying goal which occurred as Skinner returned to the ice after serving a tripping penalty that negated a 5-on-3 advantage. Skinner hasn't registered a point in the last eight games.
• Cam Ward backed up Anton Khudobin Tuesday night but has not practiced since Monday, with what has been reported to be a "lower body tweak". Despite that, Peters indicated yesterday that he wants to go with Wardo tonight if he's medically ready.
• Brad Malone has four goals in his last six games and points in three straight.
• The Coyotes haven't played at home in three weeks, playing three games on the road prior to the All-Star break and five since. In those five games their record is 3-1-1 including a solid 4-1 win over the Blue Jackets to wrap up their road trip on Tuesday night.
• In Tuesday's win, defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson notched his 15th goal of the season, tying a career record.
• Keith Yandle leads the Coyotes in points with 36 (4g, 32a). Antoine Vermette leads the forward ranks with 33 points (11g, 22a). Yandle and Lauri Korpikoski both have four-game points streaks.
• Special teams should be interesting in this one if the Hurricanes second-ranked penalty kill has to match up against the Coyotes' sixth-ranked power play.
• The Coyotes had a scheduled day off yesterday so the projected line-up reflects how they skated for Tuesday's game. Mike Smith is probable to start in net. His record against the Canes is 3-8-3 with a 2.97 GAA in 14 career appearances. The Yotes called up Louis Domingue (drafted by the Coyotes in the fifth round of the 2010 Draft) from the Portland Pirates on Saturday, and he started in his first career NHL game in a 3-2 win against the Canadiens on Sunday.

Projected line-ups

Hurricanes (from Wednesday's practice)

Injuries and Scratches:, Jeff Skinner (healthy), Riley Nash (healthy), John-Michael Liles (healthy)

Coyotes (from Tuesday's game):

Injuries and Scratches: Mikkel Boedker (IR spleen), Martin Hanzel (upper body), Joe Vitale (upper body), Chris Summers (healthy)

Program Notes: If Eric and Jordan Staal appear to be making a lot of left turns on the ice tonight, it could be because they spent time making laps around Phoenix Raceway yesterday. Look for a feature during the broadcast. Also not to be missed, former Cane and Coyote Ray Whitney will be interviewed at the second intermission. That right there is enough incentive to take a nap and grab some caffeine for some late night must-see TV.