The National Hockey League today announced that Carolina Hurricanes forward Jiri Tlusty has been named its Third Star of the Week for the week ending Feb. 17. The New York Islanders’ John Tavares and the Anaheim Ducks’ Viktor Fasth were named first and second stars, respectively.

Tlusty, 24, netted four goals, added two assists (6 points) and was plus-6, as the Hurricanes earned victories against the New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs last week. The Slany, Czech Republic, native currently ranks third among Carolina skaters in goals (5) and fifth in points (9), playing primarily alongside Eric Staal and Alexander Semin. He is tied for ninth in the NHL in plus/minus for the season (+10).

The Carolina Hurricanes take on the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night at Bell Centre (7:30 p.m., FOX Sports Carolinas, Hurricanes Radio Network). Following the game, the team will return to Raleigh to host the Winnipeg Jets at PNC Arena on Thursday. For information on 2012-13 Carolina Hurricanes ticket packages, please visit www.CarolinaHurricanes.com, or call 1-866-NHL-CANES.

– News release

A tip-in goal by Captain Eric Staal was all the Carolina Hurricanes needed to defeat red-hot Ottawa 1-0 Friday as back-up goalie Dan Ellis recorded 33 saves.

It was the second win by Ellis. The Hurricanes had only three wins by back-up goalies all of last season.

The entire defense was strong, killing off penalties and stopping pucks before Ellis had to play them.

“He looks very confident,” Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller said of Ellis. “It’s an opportunity for him. Like any athlete in pro sports, when you get an opportunity, you have to take advantage of it. He played well but I thought our guys played really strong in front of him.”

Now, with a 3-3 record, the Hurricanes go on the road for six straight games.

“It’s going to be a tough road trip,” Jordan Staal said. “I don’t think personally I’ve ever had a road trip with that many games. It will be a good test for our team. I think it will bring us together.”

He said the win over the Senators should be a good momentum builder.

Game Summary

It took a late slapshot goal by Jay Harrison and an empty-net goal by Jeff Skinner to break a 1-1 tie and give the Carolina Hurricanes a 3-1 win at Buffalo but the star of the game was a back-up goalie.

Dan Ellis, who played for the Charlotte Checkers while the NHL players’ strike dragged on, had 40 saves in his first start with the Canes. It was the second night in a row that the Hurricanes topped the Sabres and the win evens Carolina’s record at 2-2.

“Our “d” (defensive players) were phenomenal at boxin’ out,” Ellis said. “It makes a goalie’s job so much easier.”

He pointed out that the game-winner even came from a defenseman (Harrison).

“We’ve been shaking a little bit of the rust off and we’re going to continue to get better,” Ellis said. “We’re finding our identity. We’re starting to play hard. We’ve had a little more grit the last two games. That comes from knowing your system and applying it the way that we can.”

Ellis, 32, has been a No. 1 goalie and a backup before. He’s coming back from a career-threatening injury and appears to be setting himself up as a key element on this Hurricanes team.

Alexander Semin scored his first goal for the Hurricanes to tie the score at 1-1 in the third period.

CBS today announced the cast for the 22nd season of The Amazing Race, which includes former Carolina Hurricanes player and current Raleigh resident Bates Battaglia. Battaglia partners with his brother, Anthony, as one of 11 teams that race through 10 countries around the world for a $1 million prize. The 22nd season of The Amazing Race premieres on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 8 p.m. on CBS.

Battaglia spent nine seasons in the National Hockey League from 1998-2007, totaling 80 goals, 118 assists (198 points) and 385 penalty minutes in 580 career regular-season games with Carolina, Colorado, Washington and Toronto. Drafted by Anaheim in 1994, the Chicago native was acquired by the Hurricanes on March 18, 1997, and made his NHL debut with Carolina on Jan. 3, 1998. Battaglia went on to play 402 games with the Hurricanes between 1998 and 2003, earning 150 points (63g, 87a) and becoming one of the team’s most popular players during its early history in North Carolina. His best NHL season came in 2001-02, when he set career regular-season highs in goals (21), assists (25) and points (46) as Carolina won the Southeast Division. Part of the “BBC” line along with Rod Brind’Amour and Erik Cole, Battaglia added five goals and nine assists (14 points) in 23 playoff games that spring, helping the Hurricanes capture the 2002 Eastern Conference Championship to earn the first Stanley Cup Final berth in franchise history.

A product of Lake Superior State University, where he tallied 94 points (31g, 63a) in 115 games, Battaglia spent time with Colorado, Washington and Toronto in the NHL after being traded by the Hurricanes in March 2003. He also played with Toronto, Syracuse and Rochester of the American Hockey League (AHL) as well as professional leagues in Germany, Finland and Sweden.

Battaglia now makes his permanent home in Raleigh. In 2005, he opened Lucky B’s Bar with business partner Mike Lombardo. The sports-themed bar continues to be a popular hot spot in the Glenwood South area.

– News release

The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that the team has acquired forward Kevin Westgarth from the Los Angeles Kings. In exchange for Westgarth, Carolina has traded forward Anthony Stewart, its 2013 fourth-round draft pick and a sixth-round selection in the 2014 draft to the Kings.

“We were looking for a character, team guy who can play a gritty role for our team,” said Jim Rutherford, team president. “Kevin is a good addition to fill that spot.”

Westgarth, 28, is entering his seventh professional season. In 2011-12, he played 25 games with Los Angeles, notching one goal, earning one assist (2 points) and accumulating 39 penalty minutes. In 90 career NHL regular-season games with the Kings, the Amhurstberg, Ont., native has earned five points (1g, 4a) while totaling 153 penalty minutes. Westgarth appeared in all six of the Kings’ 2011 postseason games, recording two assists, 14 penalty minutes and a plus-2 rating.

Westgarth (6’4”, 234 lbs.) originally signed with Los Angeles as a free agent on March 16, 2007, after four seasons at Princeton University. In addition to his NHL experience, he has totaled 22 goals, 28 assists (50 points) and 580 penalty minutes in 224 American Hockey League (AHL) games with Manchester.

The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that the team has acquired center Luke Pither from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for goaltender Brian Boucher and defenseman Mark Alt. Pither will be assigned to the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Pither, 23, has totaled 25 points (11g, 14a) and 18 penalty minutes in 35 games with Trenton and Wheeling of the ECHL this season. The Burketon, Ont., native signed as a free agent with the Flyers on March 4, 2010, after totaling 250 points (104g, 146a) in 307 games during a five-year Ontario Hockey League (OHL) career with Kingston, Guelph, Belleville and Barrie. In two seasons with Adirondack of the American Hockey League (AHL), Pither (6’0”, 186 lbs.) has notched 30 points (11g, 19a) in 106 games.

The Carolina Hurricanes open their 2012-13 regular-season schedule on Jan. 19 at Florida, and play their home opener on Jan. 22 against the Tampa Bay Lightning at PNC Arena. For information on 2012-13 Carolina Hurricanes ticket packages, please visit www.CarolinaHurricanes.com, or call 1-866-NHL-CANES.

Dear loyal fans:

Long before I was the owner of a National Hockey League franchise, I was a hockey fan. My passion for watching our great game has only grown as I’ve watched our team over the years, reaching the highest of highs when the Hurricanes brought North Carolina its first major league championship in 2006. As a fan, I understand how frustrating it is not to be able to watch your team in action. With the resolution agreed upon this weekend, we will finally have the chance to see the 2012-13 Carolina Hurricanes on the ice. I sincerely apologize for the delay, and for the hurt that it caused you as a fan.

This past summer, our organization took major steps toward giving our team a better chance to compete for the Stanley Cup. Our team had a need at forward, and we were able to bring in two elite-level players to fill that need. Jordan Staal is a big, physical center who is just 24 years old and entering the prime of his career. We feel that Jordan is the perfect fit for our organization, which is why we signed him to a 10-year contract in July, ensuring he will be a fixture on the ice and in our community for a long time. Alexander Semin is one of hockey’s most talented players, and our staff did a great deal of scouting and research to get a grasp on the effect he could have in our lineup. The addition of these two high-end players to a lineup that already includes Eric Staal, Jeff Skinner and Cam Ward makes this an exciting time for fans of the Hurricanes, myself included.

Again, I apologize for the delay to the start of the season, and thank you for your patience throughout this process. It’s time to play hockey, and I can’t wait to see what this team has in store for us this season.

Sincerely,

Peter Karmanos Jr.
Owner