Thursday's NHL Spotlight Game

john1981cr · Joined: 16 Aug 2006 Posts: 111

By Rich Carlson

Carolina Hurricanes (20-14-4) at Buffalo Sabres (26-7-3) 7 p.m. ET

The defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes will travel to the HSBC Arena on Thursday evening to tangle with the Buffalo Sabres. The Hurricanes have posted a 20-14-4 record this season and are in second place in the Southeast Division, behind Atlanta. The Sabres have roared out to an impressive 26-7-3 start and are the Northeast Division leaders by six points over Montreal.

Carolina enters tonights game on a four-game winning streak, and it features the leagues 8th-ranked offense. Carolina has six players who have scored 20 or more points, including RW Justin Williams (17 goals), C Eric Staal (17 goals) and C Rod Brind Amour (29 assists). G Cam Ward has a solid 17-9 record but must improve his mediocre .899 save percentage.

The Sabres are the highest-scoring team in the NHL (3.83 goals per game), and that offense was on full display Tuesday night as the Sabres scored 6 goals in 11 minutes against the Capitals. LW Thomas Vanek and C Chris Drury lead the Sabres with 19 goals, while Maxim Afinogenov has chipped in with 17 goals. Ryan Miller (18-5, 2.72 goals against average, .913 save percentage) and Martin Biron (8-2, 3.02 goals against average, .895 save percentage) form one of the NHLʼs top goaltending duos.

Buffalo leads the season series with Carolina 3-0 (Oct. 14: Buffalo 3-2, Oct. 20: Buffalo 5-4, Nov. 13: Buffalo 7-4).

Injury report
Carolina: D Frantisek Kaberle (shoulder) is on injured reserve and will be out until at least mid-January; C Kevyn Adams (wrist) is on injured reserve and will be out until at least early January; D Tim Gleason (foot) is on injured reserve and will be out until at least late January; LW Andrew Ladd (appendectomy) is out indefinitely; D David Tanabe (groin) is listed as questionable for tonightʼs game.

Buffalo: C Tim Connolly (concussion) is on injured reserve and will be out indefinitely.

News & notes
Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow will be out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to repair severed tendons in his right wrist. Morrow suffered the injury when he was stepped on by a skate.