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Hurricanes host Canadiens, by Andrew Saadalla |
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Despite a 5-6-4 record, the Carolina Hurricanes are not to be taken lightly as they host the Montreal Canadiens at the PNC Arena tonight. They are coming off of two consecutive wins in which they gave up only a single goal while the visiting Habs have lost two straight for the first time this season. Forward Alexander Radulov did not travel to Carolina yesterday, though it’s rumored that the team is trying to have him ready for the matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs tomorrow night.
Defeating both the Washington Capitals and the San Jose Sharks was no small feat, but what stands out the most is that the Hurricanes have managed to kill off all 15 of their last penalties. This has helped them skyrocket to the second overall position in the National Hockey League with a 90.5% success rate while down a man.
24-year-old Jeff Skinner is off to a great start to the year, as he has six goals and 13 points in 14 games. He is tied with Victor Rask for the team lead in goals scored thus far, while the latter leads the team with two power play goals.
Goaltender Cam Ward will go head-to-head with backup Al Montoya tonight, as Ward minded the net during his team’s two wins. His save percentage on the season is .908, which is far from reassuring for a number one goalie. Still, his combined average over the past two games is .976 and he will surely ride that confidence-boosting momentum against the league’s best team.
The Habs’ lineup should be:
Bad news out of Carolina
It was a somber week for the Hurricanes, as this past offseason’s acquisition (and 30-year-old) Bryan Bickell was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis:
“Since the 2015 playoffs, I’ve been struggling to understand what was going on with my body…during the past few weeks, it felt like something wasn’t right. Obviously, this is a bit of a shock for my family and me, but I am hopeful I will be able to return to the ice and continue playing the game that I love,” Bickell said via a team statement released last Friday.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Bryan and his family through these tough times.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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