Game #21 - vs Carolina Hurricanes

Game 21

Hurricanes (9-9-0, 18 points) at Penguins (10-8-2, 22 points)

Why does it matter?
The Pens want to close out their home stand on a positive note. They'd also like to solve Cam Ward, who has played really well against them the past three years.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - The Pens are hot, with 7 points in their past 4 games, capped by a great win over the Canucks. Fleury has been the biggest reason for this, I think.
• Hurricanes - In the past four games, the winning team has scored 7 or 8 goals and the losers just 1 or 2. The funny thing is that the Canes have split these games. Talk about hot and cold!

Questions to be answered

• Which Canes team will show up? The one that scores 7 or allows 7?
• Can the Pens exploit the Canes PK, which has not only sprung a leak in the dam, but is in danger of flooding the village?
• Can the Pens play the same competent, complete game they showed against the Canucks?

Keys to the game

• Control Staal. He has four multi-point games in his past five, including a five point effort (and hat trick) on Wednesday.
• Stay away from the dumb penalties - there were too many undisciplined trips to the box against the Canucks. Also - the Canes have been very good on the power play lately.
• Score three to win - the Canes haven't lost a game yet where they've allowed fewer than three goals.