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Hurricanes-Rangers Preview

Jan 26, 2010 - 8:21 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Carolina (16-28-7) at New York (24-22-7), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Two goals from a rookie are the only offense the New York Rangers have mustered in their last three games, and they continue to slip in the crowded Eastern Conference playoff chase.

Facing the East's last-place team suddenly doesn't look like an easy fix.

The Carolina Hurricanes are looking more confident as they seek their second road win against the sputtering Rangers on Wednesday night.

New York (24-22-7) totaled 14 goals in home wins over Montreal and Tampa Bay last week before back-to-back shutout losses on the road against Philadelphia and the Canadiens.

The Rangers lost 4-2 on Monday night to Pittsburgh in their return home, allowing three unanswered goals after taking the lead midway through the final period.

"This one was painful. We battled back," goalie Henrik Lundqvist said. "... We had a bunch of games like this this year, and it would be a different story if we manage to win these."

Artem Anisimov, who had been held without a point in his previous 17 games, accounted for both goals Monday, helping the Rangers avoid what would have been a fifth shutout in their last eight games.

"He's been playing well," coach John Tortorella said. "Although he hasn't put up a lot of numbers, he's one of the guys I've been using quite a bit away from the puck late in games. His defensive awareness has really improved."

Leading scorer Marian Gaborik has been held without a point in six of his last eight games.

Although the Rangers went 0-3-2 from Dec. 6-16, they'll try Wednesday to avoid their first four-game skid in regulation since losing seven straight from Dec. 16-29, 2006. They've fallen among eight tightly packed teams jockeying for the final few playoff spots in the East.

Still in the East cellar, the Hurricanes (16-28-7) are a long way from the postseason conversation after their woeful start. But they have won two of three and are 7-6-0 in their last 13 after a dominating 5-1 win over Boston on Sunday.

Eric Staal scored his fifth goal in three games since being named team captain and Cam Ward set the franchise record for victories with his 131st, making 27 saves.

"You can't do it by yourself - every one of those wins, the team had a big part of it," Ward said. "There's no point stopping now, and I hope to keep adding on to that list for many, many years."

Although this season looks like a lost cause for the Hurricanes after they reached the East finals in 2009, they're still hoping to string together some victories heading toward the Olympic break.

"If we can get some wins here and give ourselves a chance to maybe get a little closer to some teams, we could have a good stretch," said center Brandon Sutter, who had a goal and an assist against the Bruins.

Carolina and New York split a home-and-home series Dec. 31 and Jan. 2, with each road team winning 2-1. Ray Whitney scored in overtime to give the Hurricanes, 5-16-4 away from home, the win at Madison Square Garden.

The teams' first meeting would have also ended 2-1 if not for Marc Staal's empty-netter, which gave the Rangers a 3-1 win over his brother's team Dec. 21 in Raleigh.

Gaborik has two goals and three assists in the three matchups, while Lundqvist is 2-0-1 with a 1.31 goals-against average.