CAROLINA HURRICANES (18-28-6-6, 48 pts.)
at
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (30-16-9-2, 71 pts.)
Saturday, Feb. 15, 2003, 7 p.m. at First Union Center

GAME NIGHT

The defending Eastern Conference champion Carolina Hurricanes travel to First Union Center to face Atlantic Division foe Philadelphia. Tonight’s game marks the third meeting between the clubs this season and first at First Union Center. The Flyers and Hurricanes went to overtime in each of their first two meetings. Philadelphia scored a 2-1 overtime win on Nov. 5 and the teams tied on Nov. 15, 1-1. The Hurricanes return home following tonight’s game before departing Monday for Toronto.

PRACTICE TIMES

Feb. 15	Saturday	First Union Center	11:30 a.m.
Feb. 16	Sunday	RBC Center	11 a.m.
Feb. 17	Monday	RBC Center	11 a.m.
Feb. 18	Tuesday	Air Canada Centre	11:30 a.m.
Feb. 19	Wednesday	RBC Center	10:30 a.m.
Feb. 20	Thursday	RBC Center	TBA
Feb. 21	Friday	RBC Center	10:30 a.m.

ON THE AIR
Television: Fox SportsNet (NC)
Radio: WKIX 102.3 FM (Goldsboro); WKXU 101.1 FM (Raleigh); WDTF 570-AM (Raleigh); WMFD 630-AM (Wilmington); WDLZ 98.3-FM (Murfreesboro); WSJS 600-AM (Winston-Salem); WRUP 97.9-FM (New Bern/Morehead City); WSTK 910-AM (Jacksonville); WNMX 106.1 (Charlotte); WCNC 1240-AM (Elizabeth City); WZBO 1260-AM (Edenton)
Internet: www.nhl.com

CAROLINA NOTES
Right wing Jeff O’Neill has nine goals in the last 19 games. His four-game goals streak (Jan. 3-8: 5g, 0a) was the longest this season by any Carolina player. O’Neill leads the team with 21 goals and 43 points. He ranked tied for sixth among all NHL players with six game-winning goals through games of Feb. 12. Josef Vasicek has five goals and five assists in the last 10 games. Left wing Ryan Bayda made his NHL debut last night against Washington and skated 16:59 with the Hurricanes’ top line.

CAROLINA AT HOME: 10-11-5-3
CAROLINA ON THE ROAD: 8-17-1-3
CAROLINA ON THE POWER PLAY: 47-of-307 (15.3%)
CAROLINA SHORTHANDED: 243-of-297 (81.8%)

CAROLINA INJURY UPDATE
Left wing Jaroslav Svoboda, back, day-to-day, missed one game (Feb. 14).
Right wing Jesse Boulerice, concussion, day-to-day, missed one game (Feb. 14).
Right wing Jeff Heerema, wrist, injured reserve, missed three games (Feb. 9-14).
Left wing Erik Cole, broken leg, injured reserve, missed five games (Feb. 5-14).
Center Rod Brind’Amour, hand surgery, injured reserve, missed 10 games (Jan. 22-Feb. 14).

CAROLINA / PHILADELPHIA NOTES
The Carolina Hurricanes and the Philadelphia Flyers meet tonight for the third of four games this season. Philadelphia defeated Carolina 2-1 in overtime on Nov. 5 at RBC Center and the teams skated to a 1-1 tie on Nov. 15 at RBC Center. Both of Carolina’s games at Philadelphia this season are the second half of back-to-back games.
The Flyers won the regular season series against the Hurricanes last season 3-1-0. Carolina’s lone win came on March 28 in Raleigh, as Sean Hill notched a three-point night with a goal and two assists to lead the Hurricanes to a 4-1 victory. Jaroslav Svoboda notched his first NHL point in the game with an assist on Hill’s goal. Philadelphia won the two teams’ other meeting in Raleigh, 4-3 on Jan. 6. The Flyers won both games at home last season, defeating the Hurricanes 4-3 in overtime on Dec. 22 and 4-2 on Jan. 26 at the First Union Center. Hill led all scorers in the season series with six points (2g, 4a). Carolina is 22-45-10-3 all-time against the Flyers, including a 13-20-7-1 record at home and a 9-25-3-2 record in Philadelphia.

FLYERS NOTES
The Flyers are third in the NHL in goals-against average (2.08)...The Flyers have allowed two goals or less in 42 of 57 games this season...The Flyers have allowed 121 goals against this season (73 - at even strength, 43 - while shorthanded and 5 - while on the power play), the third fewest amount in the NHL...The 73 even strength goals allowed (68 - 5-on-5, 2 - 4-on-4 and 3 - empty net) are the fewest amount in the NHL.

SCORING LEADERS AND GOALTENDERS

HURRICANES
	GP	G	A	TP
92 O'Neill	58	21	22	43
10 Francis	58	19	19	38
17 Brind'Amour	48	14	23	37
26 Cole	53	14	13	27
20 Hlavac	54	9	15	24
Goalies	GP	GAA	W-L-T	SV%
30 DesRochers	4	3.77	0-3-0	.875
80 Weekes	36	2.49	11-17-4	.918
FLYERS
	GP	G	A	TP
97 Roenick	55	19	19	38
8 Recchi	57	15	22	37
26 Handzus	57	16	10	26
25 Primeau	55	14	12	26
Goalies	GP	GAA	W-L-T	SV%
32 Cechmanek	40	2.03	21-13-6	.917
42 Esche	22	2.05	9-5-3	.912