Penguins 3 - 1 Hurricanes
Final
  for this game

Penguins try to end slide in road game with 'Canes

Oct 28, 2013 - 3:12 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to halt their longest slide of the season when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes for Monday's clash at PNC Arena.

The Penguins began the season red-hot, winning seven of their first eight games, but have since dropped three straight in regulation to fall to 7-4-0 on the year. The three-game slide marks the longest losing streak for Pittsburgh in the regular season since losing six straight from Dec. 29 2011-Jan. 11, 2012.

After averaging 3.88 goals per game through their first eight outings, Pittsburgh has scored only four times during its current slide. The Penguins managed one goal on Saturday when they were dealt a 4-1 setback in Toronto. The score was tied at 1-1 heading into the third, but Nazem Kadri potted the game winner just 1:26 into the final period.

Kris Letang tallied the lone goal for the Penguins, who were coming off Friday's 4-3 loss against the visiting New York Islanders. Marc-Andre Fleury made 26 saves on Saturday, but allowed three goals in the setback.

"We worked really hard for two periods. We wanted to get the go-ahead goal by trying offensively, trying to get a break. We got off the page," said Letang.

Sidney Crosby, who leads the NHL with 18 points, was held off the scoresheet for just the second time this season. He has seven goals and 23 assists in 23 career games against the Hurricanes.

Pittsburgh is 2-2-0 as the road team this season, but has won two of its last three road games at Carolina. The Pens have won three straight, six of seven and nine of the last 12 overall meetings in this series.

Carolina is 4-4-3 on the season and enters Monday having lost two straight in regulation. The Hurricanes recently completed a four-game road trip with a 2-2-0 record, winning games against Toronto and the New York Islanders before losing to Minnesota and Colorado.

The Hurricanes dropped a 3-1 decision Thursday in Minnesota and lost 4-2 the following night against the Avalanche. Matt Duchene potted a pair of goals and added an assist to help Colorado continue its terrific start to the season.

Andrej Sekera notched a goal and an assist, while Drayson Bowman scored the other goal for the Hurricanes, who have lost five of their last seven games. Justin Peters allowed all four goals on 34 shots in defeat.

"I was excited about the opportunity to play tonight," Peters said. "I felt comfortable, but they are a very fast team."

With Carolina's top-two goaltenders, Cam Ward and Anton Khudobin currently on injured reserve, Peters could get the start again on Monday. He is 2-3-1 with a 4.42 goals against average in six career outings against the Penguins.

Hurricanes winger Jeff Skinner is questionable for Monday's game after sitting out Friday's tilt with an upper-body injury.






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