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Canucks aim to end home skid against Hurricanes

Feb 3, 2009 - 3:20 PM Carolina (25-21-5) at Vancouver (22-20-8) 10:00 p.m. EST

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Ticker) -- GM Place has been a house of horrors for the Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks look to end a nine-game home losing streak when they host the surging Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.

Vancouver closed January with a 0-5-3 record over its final eight games, and its last win was a 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on January 7.

The recent slide has everything to do with the Canucks' skid at home, which is two games shy of the franchise record set in the team's inaugural 1970-71 season.

Vancouver failed to win a game at GM Place in January, last forging a victory on home ice in a 3-0 triumph over the Ottawa Senators on December 28.

Roberto Luongo's return from a groin injury has not helped the Canucks, as the team captain is 0-2-3 with a 3.70 goals-against average during his last five games.

Vancouver will have trouble ending its slump against the Hurricanes, who are aiming for their third straight win.

Cam Ward made 19 saves and Matt Cullen scored a goal and set up another as Carolina blanked the Atlanta Thrashers, 2-0, on Saturday in a battle of Southeast Division rivals.

The 24-year-old Ward turned aside four shots in both the first and third periods while stopping 11 shots in the second to notch his third shutout of the season and ninth career as the Hurricanes improved to 4-1-0 in their last five games.