Carolina Hurricanes: Preview, Predictions vs Ducks on Dec. 7

The Carolina Hurricanes have only scored a total of two goals in the last three games, including an OT loss against the Anaheim Ducks. Can they turn things around and end this road trip with two points?

The Carolina Hurricanes have once again failed to secure two points while playing on the west coast. I don’t know what it is that makes this team this bad when playing in that time zone. So far this season the team is 0-3-0, scoring a single goal, and allowing ten goals while playing in the Pacific time zone. Tonight’s game against Anaheim will be the fourth of the five games played in that time zone with the final one against the Vancouver Canucks next month. Last year the Carolina Hurricanes were 1-3-1 in the 5 games played in that time zone. Makes you worry about how much more the new Seattle team can hurt Carolina.

Last time we ran afowl of the Ducks, the Canes’ defense held them scoreless for most of the game. Rookie Andrei Svechnikov had the lone goal for the Hurricanes. Had the game been five minutes shorter, the Ducks would have migrated out of Raleigh empty-handed. It wasn’t to be however, and the Ducks stole one in overtime. The similarities between this game and the last cannot be ignored. Both will be played on a Friday and both feature Carolina jerseys that aren’t usually worn in that situation. Lets hope that this game goes a little differently.

The Carolina Hurricanes offense over the last five games as been flat-lining. With Micheal Ferland out of the lineup, Jordan Staal has returned to the top line to center Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen. While this line was one of the hottest in the league for a while last season, it hasn’t found the back of the net this year, at least the back of the opponents net. However, Staal suffered a concussion in the game against the Sharks, and so we will see Sebastian Aho return to center and almost certainly see Jordan Martinook promoted to the top line. Saku Maenelanen was called up from Charlotte and will likely make his NHL debut tonight:

The Ducks come flying into this game riding a five-game win streak. That includes the win in Raleigh, as well as a five-goal comeback and win against the Metro leading Washington Capitals. This team is doing everything right and sits second in the Pacific Division to Bill Peter’s Calgary Flames. Their goaltending duo is all that it is quacked up to be. John Gibson and Ryan Miller have kept this team in the game while their offense consistently finds the back of the net when they need it most.

But all good things and streaks must come to an end. Can the Carolina Hurricanes be the ones to end both the Ducks’ win streak and their losing streak in one fowl swoop before leaving their nest and migrating back to Raleigh? Okay, I’m done with the duck puns. But this team must figure out how to generate offense like it did in October. Until it can do that, the team’s losing streak will continue.

Prediction: Hurricanes 1-3 Ducks

Question for CC readers:

Do we trade for a veteran player, sacrificing a few prospects and picks, OR do we call those high potential prospects up? What is the best way to remedy this lack of scoring?