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Hurricanes set to face Kovalchuk, Thrashers

Jan 2, 2008 - 1:43 PM Atlanta (19-20-1) at Carolina (20-18-3) 7:00 pm EST

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) - The Carolina Hurricanes will have their hands full as the league's worst penalty-kill unit will have to contain the NHL's leading scorer Wednesday.

The Hurricanes will look to avoid a three-game losing skid when they kick off a home-and-home series against Ilya Kovalchuk and the Atlanta Thrashers.

Despite killing off just 76.6 percent of opponents' power plays, Carolina still owns the top spot in the Southeast Division over Atlanta, which sits four points back.

The Hurricanes' poor penalty killing was exposed again Monday as the New York Islanders netted three man-advantage tallies in the second period, handing Carolina a 4-1 loss.

Carolina's best hope Wednesday will be to stay out of the penalty box because Atlanta possesses some of the NHL's most dangerous goal scorers, including league-leader Kovalchuk.

Kovalchuk has tallied 32 goals and a team-leading 52 points this season. The 24-year-old Russian also leads the club with nine power-play goals on the campaign.

The Thrashers have lost five of their past six games on the road.