CAROLINA HURRICANES (22-42-11-6, 61 pts.)
vs.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS (34-33-11-2, 81 pts.)
Sunday, April 6, 2003, 3 p.m. at the RBC Center

GAME NIGHT

The Carolina Hurricanes wrap up the 2002-03 season on Sunday in a 3 p.m. matinee against the New York Islanders. The Islanders clinched the eighth and final playoff spot on Friday when the New York Rangers were mathematically eliminated from contention in a 2-1 loss to New Jersey. The Hurricanes will give selected fans their game-worn jerseys following today’s contest as a part of Fan Appreciation Day. The Hurricanes will host a postseason press conference on Wednesday at noon at the RBC Center.

ON THE AIR
Television: None
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 18 goals in the last 42 games and has earned 18 points in the 24 games (Feb. 14-April 4: 10g, 8a). O’Neill leads the team with 30 goals and 60 points. Left wing Ryan Bayda has totaled 13 points and 16 penalty minutes in his first 24 NHL games, including his first multiple-point game, March 4 vs. Boston (1g, 1a), and his first NHL game-winner, March 7 vs. Minnesota. Rookie defenseman Bruno St. Jacques notched his first NHL goal at Pittsburgh on March 6 and first NHL assist on March 10 against Columbus. St. Jacques added assists on the extra-attacker, tying goal and overtime goal on March 12 at Buffalo for his first NHL multiple-assist, multiple-point game.

CAROLINA AT HOME: 12-16-9-3
CAROLINA ON THE ROAD: 10-26-2-3
CAROLINA ON THE POWER PLAY: 58-of-415 (14.0%)
CAROLINA SHORTHANDED: 318-of-389 (81.7%)

CAROLINA INJURY UPDATE
Goaltender Patrick DesRochers, broken elbow, indefinite, missed seven games (March 22-April 4)
Left wing Jan Hlavac, broken finger, indefinite, missed 16 games (March 2-April 4)
Right wing Pavel Brendl, arthroscopic knee surgery, injured reserve, missed 18 games (Feb. 26-April 4)
Left wing Jaroslav Svoboda, dislocated shoulder, injured reserve, missed 24 games (Feb. 14-April 4)
Right wing Jesse Boulerice, concussion, injured reserve, missed 24 games (Feb. 14-April 4)
Right wing Jeff Heerema, broken wrist, injured reserve, missed 26 games (Feb. 9-April 4)
Left wing Erik Cole, broken leg, injured reserve, missed 28 games (Feb. 5-April 4)
Center Rod Brind’Amour, hand surgery, injured reserve, missed 32 games (Jan. 22-April 4)

CAROLINA / ISLANDERS NOTES
The Hurricanes and the Islanders meet for the fourth time this season and the final game of the 2002-03 NHL schedule. The Hurricanes defeated the Islanders 4-1 on Oct. 22 behind a 36-save performance by netminder Kevin Weekes. Sami Kapanen ended his scoring drought, netting two goals against the Islanders. Kevyn Adams and Rod Brind’Amour also added goals for Carolina. The Hurricanes triumphed again, 4-2 on Oct. 30 at the RBC Center, but dropped the Dec. 28 meeting on Long Island, 3-0.
The Islanders won last season’s series 3-1-0, including two overtime wins against the Hurricanes. Carolina’s lone win against the Islanders came on April 8 at Nassau Coliseum, 2-1. All three of the Islanders wins against Carolina came in October, as New York defeated Carolina 4-0 in Raleigh on Oct. 17, and topped the Hurricanes in overtime 3-2 on Oct. 26 in Raleigh and 2-1 on Oct. 18 at Nassau Coliseum. Rod Brind’Amour and Josef Vasicek each had a pair of goals in the season series. The Hurricanes lead the all-time regular season series with the Islanders with a record of 39-34-9-2. Carolina is 21-15-5-1 all-time at home against the Islanders and 18-19-4-1 on the road.

SCORING LEADERS AND GOALTENDERS

HURRICANES
	GP	G	A	TP
92 O'Neill	81	30	30	60
10 Francis	81	22	34	56
17 Brind'Amour	48	14	23	37
19 Vrbata	75	16	19	35
Goalies	GP	GAA	W-L-T	SV%
1 Irbe	33	3.22	7-23-2	.878
80 Weekes	51	2.55	14-24-9	.912
ISLANDERS
	GP	G	A	TP
79 Yashin	80	25	39	64
55 Blake	80	25	30	55
37 Parrish	79	23	24	47
38 Scatchard	80	26	18	44
Goalies	GP	GAA	W-L-T	SV%
30 Snow	41	2.32	15-16-5	.917
39 DiPietro	10	2.97	2-5-2	.894