• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Penguins aiming to get healthy vs. Hurricanes

Dec 31, 2014 - 3:57 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - For a while the Pittsburgh Penguins seemed unfazed by the rash of injuries and illnesses which have beset the club so far this season.

However, the hobbled Penguins will try to halt their longest losing streak in nearly three years when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday.

Pittsburgh has lost four straight, including the last three in regulation, to post the franchise's longest losing streak since a six-game slide from Dec. 29, 2011-Jan. 11, 2012. The Pens have scored a total of seven goals during the 0-3-1 stretch and only managed one goal over the last two outings.

Help could be on the way for the Penguins tonight, however, with the potential return of a few players who have recently missed time.

Forwards Craig Adams and Beau Bennett and defenseman Christian Ehrhoff are all questionable for tonight after practicing with the team on Tuesday. Adams (undisclosed) and Ehrhoff (lower body) have each missed the last five games, while Bennett has sat out the last 15 tilts with a lower-body issue.

Backup goaltender Thomas Greiss, who is one of several Pittsburgh players to contract the mumps this season, also expects to suit up for tonight's game after Jeff Zatkoff was sent down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL on Tuesday morning.

Defenseman Paul Martin also skated at Tuesday's practice, but he won't play tonight.

"I don't know what everyone's timeline is, but it's nice to see guys back in practice," Pens captain Sidney Crosby told his team's website. "But regardless of how many guys and when, you still have to make sure you're playing the right way so when guys do come back, it's an easier adjustment for them and you're on the right track."

Crosby scored the lone goal for Pittsburgh in its most recent outing, a 3-1 setback Monday in New Jersey. His 11th marker of the season gave the Pens a 1-0 lead with 5:23 left in the first, but the Devils took control of the game with a two-goal second period.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 24-of-27 shots and is expected to start again tonight. He is 12-8-2 with a 2.71 goals against average in his career against the Hurricanes.

Carolina, which is second from the bottom in the overall NHL standings, is hoping to take advantage of the Penguins recent struggles tonight when the Hurricanes aim to close December with just their fourth victory of the month.

The 'Canes are 3-9-1 in December and have lost two straight and 10 of their last 12 games.

The club's latest setback came Monday against visiting Montreal, which notched a 3-1 win to spoil the season debut of Jordan Staal.

Staal, a former Penguins centerman, played in his first game of the season and was credited with an assist on his brother Eric's power-play goal early in the third period. However, that was all the offense Carolina could muster, as the Hurricanes were held to less than two goals for the ninth time in 12 games.

Cam Ward only made 16 saves to take the loss in a game that saw the Hurricanes hold a 29-19 edge in shots.

"We had our chances, we just couldn't put them home," Carolina forward Riley Nash said.

Ward, who is 13-6-3 with a 2.38 GAA in his career against Pittsburgh, will start again tonight.

Pittsburgh is beginning a four-game homestand tonight, and although the club boasts a 13-5-1 record at Consol Energy Center this season, the Pens have lost their last two home games against Carolina. The home skid includes a 4-2 Hurricanes' victory in the Steel City on Nov. 28. That triumph is one of just four road wins this season for Carolina, which is 4-14-2 as the guest.

The Pens have won six of the past eight overall meetings against the Panthers.