Carolina begins its third of 16 sets of back-to-back games in 2011-12 on Friday against Chicago. The Hurricanes are 0-2-2 thus far this season in back-to-back games, including a 0-1-1 mark in the front halves, and a 0-1-1 record in the back halves of those sets. The Hurricanes played 21 sets of back-to-back games in 2010-11, and went 21-15-6 in those contests.
Against the West: The Hurricanes went 10-6-2 against Western Conference opponents in 2010-11 and are 0-0-1 so far this season. Carolina next matches up against a Western Conference opponent on Nov. 6 when it hosts Dallas at RBC Center.
Home Cooking: The Hurricanes play four of five, and eight of their next 12 games at the RBC Center, including Friday’s game against Chicago. Carolina welcomes the Tampa Bay Lightning (Nov. 1), Washington Capitals (Nov. 4) and Dallas Stars (Nov. 6) to the RBC Center in the next 10 days. The Hurricanes are 1-1-1 at home this season.
Skinner Season 2.0: 2011 Calder Trophy winner Jeff Skinner leads the Hurricanes and is tied for sixth in the NHL (through Oct. 26) with 10 points (4g, 6a) in the first nine games of 2011-12. Skinner has goals/points (2g, 2a) in two straight, his third point streak this season of two games or more. Skinner manufactured a season-long five-game point streak, as well as a three-game assists streak in his rookie season. Skinner skated in all 82 games last season, collecting 62 points (31g, 32a) and 46 penalty minutes.
Pitkanen Among Leaders: Joni Pitkanen is once again among the NHL leaders in time on ice (TOI) per game. The 28-year-old is 15th in the NHL in TOI per game (25:05 – through games of Oct. 26). Pitkanen led the NHL in 2009-10 (27:22) and was 13th last season (25:01). Offensively, Pitkanen leads Carolina defensemen and is tied for ninth among NHL blueliners with six points (2g, 4a) through games on Oct. 26. Pitkanen collected five points (2g, 3a) during a three game point streak (Oct. 12-18).
Staal on the Power Play: Eric Staal is tied for second in the NHL with three power play goals through games on Oct. 26. The Hurricanes’ captain netted two power play goals at Washington (10/8) and a 5-on-3 goal in Carolina’s 4-1 win at Boston (10/18). Staal has 89 career power play goals, second-most in franchise history (Ron Francis – 132).
Plus Gleason: Through games of Oct. 26, Hurricanes blueliner Tim Gleason is tied for fifth in the NHL with a plus-6 plus/minus rating, and is tied for fourth on the team with three assists. The defenseman recorded two assists on Oct. 12 against Boston marking his first multi-point effort since Nov. 17, 2010 against Ottawa. Gleason is 11 assists shy of his 100th NHL assist.
Strong in the Circle: Alternate captain Brandon Sutter, now in his fourth NHL season, is tied for 21st in the NHL in face off percentage (54.9%) through games of Oct. 26. He has won 90-of-164 draws in nine games this season. Sutter has four points in the last six games (2 goals, 2 assists).
Shorthanded Success: Carolina scored a pair of shorthanded goals in a 4-3 win at Buffalo (10/14), marking the first time since March 3, 2009 that the Hurricanes collected two or more shorthanded tallies in a game. Brandon Sutter and Tim Brent provided the first shorthanded goals of the season for the Hurricanes, who rank tied for second in the NHL for shorthanded goals through games of Oct. 26. The record for most shorthanded goals in a game in Carolina franchise history is three – on April 7, 2006, in a 4-3 win against Washington.
Special Teams: The Hurricanes are 7-of-46 (15.2%) on the man advantage this season. Carolina has killed 19 of its opponent’s last 23 power plays (82.6 percent since Oct. 12) and is 30-of-39 (76.9%) for the season on the kill.