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Canadiens can end five-game drought vs. Hurricanes

Feb 17, 2007 - 5:01 PM Carolina (29-24-7) at Montreal (29-24-6) 7:00 pm EST

MONTREAL (Ticker) -- The last thing the Montreal Canadiens need these days are goaltending issues.

With starter Cristobal Huet sidelined with a hamstring injury, the Canadiens try to end a five-game losing streak Saturday in their final meeting of the season against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The 31-year-old Huet went 19-15-3 with a 2.74 goals-against average before suffering his injury in the second period of Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. He will be out indefinitely.

David Aebischer will be joined in the netminder rotation by Jaroslav Halak, who was recalled Thursday from Hamilton of the American Hockey League.

The Canadiens are also without Alexei Kovalev, who is out of action for another two weeks with an elbow injury suffered in Monday's practice.

Carolina has won its last six visits here dating to February 8, 2004, including three playoff matchups last spring.

The Hurricanes lost for the sixth time in nine games with Thursday's 4-1 defeat to the New York Rangers. Andrew Ladd scored the lone goal for Carolina, which yielded three power-play tallies.

One player having consistent success for Carolina is Ray Whitney, who has 10 goals and 14 assists in his last 17 games, including a hat trick against the Boston Bruins on February 8.