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Islanders-Hurricanes Preview

Jan 28, 2010 - 5:09 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

New York (23-22-8) at Carolina (16-28-7), 7:00 p.m. EDT

A matchup with the Eastern Conference-worst Carolina Hurricanes would appear to be an ideal opportunity for the New York Islanders to avoid a three-game slide.

Eric Staal, however, has Carolina on the verge of matching its season-high three-game winning streak.

The recently named captain will try to continue his scoring surge Thursday night when the Hurricanes host the stumbling Islanders.

The Hurricanes (17-28-7) have won consecutive games and three of four after Staal scored twice in a 5-1 road win over the New York Rangers on Wednesday. The performance came three nights after Carolina beat Boston by the same score behind goals from five players, including Staal.

"We played two teams that are kind of struggling," said Staal, who leads the Hurricanes with 17 goals and is tied with Ray Whitney with a team-high 40 points.

Staal, who will play for Canada at next month's Olympics in Vancouver, has been on a tear since taking over for Rod Brind'Amour as the Hurricanes' captain. He had a hat trick while debuting as captain in last Thursday's 5-2 victory at Atlanta, and he has totaled seven goals to help Carolina go 3-1-0 since taking over the role. He had combined for seven goals over the previous 28 contests.

"Right now, pucks are going in," Staal said. "I don't think I've changed my game too much. It's just coincidence that first night wearing (the C) I got a hat trick and kind of heated up."

The Hurricanes have a conference-low 41 points but have pulled within three points of Toronto.

"This just goes to show the character that we have. It has not been an easy season," said Cam Ward, who has stopped 64 of 66 shots over the last two games. "We're one of the last-place teams in the league, but guys continue to come to the rink and are willing to work hard to try to better ourselves."

Ward, who has a 1.56 goals-against average over the last four games, will likely make his 21st consecutive start Thursday. He's 9-2-1 with a 2.38 GAA and a shutout in 13 games against the Islanders, and Staal has 14 goals and five assists in 21 meetings.

Injuries forced Ward and Staal out of the teams' last matchup Nov. 13, and Carolina suffered a 4-3 overtime loss at home - its second non-regulation loss in two meetings with New York (23-22-8) this season.

While Carolina has been rooted to the bottom of the conference standings for most of the season, the Islanders are in the thick of the tightly packed East playoff race - tied with Boston, Atlanta and Tampa Bay for 10th, one point back of a four-way tie for sixth.

New York hasn't helped its chances by losing consecutive games at home, where it had won its previous six.

The Islanders fell behind early Tuesday and never recovered, losing 7-2 to conference-leading Washington.

"It was just a bad game all around," goaltender Rick DiPietro said. "When we don't play our game, things like that happen."

DiPietro could be in net Thursday after replacing Dwayne Roloson, who was pulled following the first period for allowing four goals on 12 shots. DiPietro made 18 saves the rest of the way, and he is 2-2-0 with a 2.54 GAA and a shutout in five games since returning from a series of knee injuries.

He's lost three in a row at Carolina with a 4.35 GAA but hasn't played there since Jan. 6, 2007.

The Islanders will be without Jack Hillen, who is out at least six weeks after undergoing surgery Tuesday for a broken jaw and damaged teeth caused by a slap shot to the face from the Capitals' Alex Ovechkin.