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Hurricanes eye season sweep of lowly Lightning

Mar 7, 2009 - 11:23 AM Carolina (34-27-5) at Tampa Bay (21-31-13) 7:30 p.m. EST

TAMPA, Florida (Ticker) -- The Carolina Hurricanes attempt to equal a feat they haven't accomplished since relocating from Hartford when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.

The Hurricanes have won each of the first five meetings with the Southeast Division rival Lightning this season with one matchup remaining. Carolina hasn't swept a campaign series against Tampa Bay since 1996-97 when the franchise was based in Hartford, where it left the following season.

The Hurricanes enter the contest red-hot, going 7-3-0 over their last 10 games and have won two straight after a 6-1 drubbing of the Calgary Flames on Friday.

Ray Whitney recorded his third career hat trick with three power-play goals while Sergei Samsonov, Erik Cole and Scott Walker also found the back of the net for Carolina, which pulled within one point of a three-way tie for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

The Lightning dropped to 2-6-2 during their last 10 games on Friday, suffering a 4-3 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues.