Carolina looks to take care of business on the road.
The Hurricanes make a quick trip up north Saturday to take on the Islanders.
This Metro matchup grants Carolina a prime opportunity to keep up the pace in the division against last-place New York. After breaking a three-game losing streak with a 5-3 win over Colorado last time out, this game gives the Canes near-ideal circumstances to build up some momentum again.
On the flip side, the hosts look to find their footing after a rocky start to the season. The Islanders’ defense has kept it competitive on some contests but their abysmal 29th-ranked offense has produced a meager 2.48 goals per game thus far. New York’s hung around in several games, leading to its league-leading seven overtime losses, so Carolina can do a great deal of damage by keeping its foot on the gas.
Luckily for Canes fans, strong starts have been their team’s forte this season. The Hurricanes rank sixth in the league with 28 first-period goals through 26 games. Conversely, the Islanders are 0-6-1 when trailing after the first period. Setting the tone with an early advantage gives Carolina an extremely high chance to secure the W.
The Hurricanes also boasts a distinct advantage on special teams should penalties start playing a role. Carolina’s power play and penalty both rank top 10 in the NHL while the Islanders trot out the league’s worst PK unit and second-worst power play unit, statistically speaking. As long as those trends stay the same, the Canes should have little issue putting the Isles away.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7 5 p.m. in UBS Arena.