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Coyotes aim for season-high fourth straight win vs. Hurricanes

Jan 4, 2007 - 4:24 PM Phoenix (16-20-2) at Carolina (21-17-4) 7:00 pm EST

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Wayne Gretzky some day would like to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup as a coach. For the time being at least, he has the Phoenix Coyotes pointed in the right direction.

Gretzky looks to guide the Coyotes to a season-high fourth consecutive victory Thursday when they visit the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.

It has taken nearly three months for the Coyotes to show some signs of life offensively. They lost eight of their first 10 contests, but are 4-0-1 in their last five and have scored 19 goals in that stretch.

Owen Nolan had a goal and an assist, Shane Doan added his ninth tally and Ladislav Nagy recorded his 23rd assist for Phoenix in Monday's 3-2 triumph over the Washington Capitals.

After winning five straight games in mid-December, the Hurricanes have lost three of their last four and are eight points behind the Atlanta Thrashers for the top spot in the Southeast Division.

Carolina took 31 shots on goal and failed to score on six power-play chances in its fifth shutout loss of the campaign, a 3-0 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.