CAROLINA HURRICANES (0-0-0-0, 0 pts.)
at
FLORIDA PANTHERS (0-0-0-0, 0 pts.)
Thursday, October 9, 2003, 7:30 p.m. at the Office Depot Center

GAME NIGHT

The Carolina Hurricanes begin their seventh season in North Carolina as they open 2003-04 tonight against Southeast Division rival Florida at Office Depot Center. The game marks the first of 24 Southeast Division match ups for Carolina this season, as NHL teams play one more game against divisional opponents than they did last season. The Hurricanes will return to Raleigh following the game to prepare for Saturday’s home opener against New Jersey.

ON THE AIR
Television: Fox Sports Net
Radio: WKIX 102.3 FM (Goldsboro); WKXU 101.1 FM (Raleigh); WDTF 570 AM (Raleigh); WMFD 630 AM (Wilmington); WSJS 600 AM (Winston-Salem); WNMX 106.1 FM (Charlotte)
Internet: www.nhl.com

CAROLINA NOTES
During training camp, Eric Staal showed onlookers why he was the 2003 NHL Entry Draft’s highest-rated skater, why the Carolina Hurricanes spent the second-overall pick to have him join the organization and why the Hurricanes signed him to a three-year contract on Oct. 6. At just 18 years old, Staal led the NHL with seven preseason goals. He scored twice against Atlanta on Sept. 20 at TECO Arena and took first-honors, and again scored twice on Sept. 25 against Tampa Bay and was named first star. On Sept. 26 against Atlanta, Staal notched the eventual game-winner for his fifth goal of the preseason, added a late third-period goal at Washington on Oct. 3 and scored the opening goal against Washington on Oct. 4… On Oct. 3, the Hurricanes signed free-agent goaltender Jamie Storr to a one-year contract. Storr, 27, has played his entire NHL career with Los Angeles, posting a 85-78-21 record, 2.52 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in 205 NHL regular-season games. Storr and Canes netminder Kevin Weekes were teammates with Owen Sound of the Ontario Hockey League in the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons.

CAROLINA AT HOME: 0-0-0-0
CAROLINA ON THE ROAD: 0-0-0-0
CAROLINA ON THE POWER PLAY: 0-of-0 (0.0%)
CAROLINA SHORTHANDED: 0-of-0 (0.0%)

CAROLINA INJURY UPDATE
Defenseman Bob Boughner: Fractured left hand, Oct. 3 at WSH (PRE), injured reserve, missed 0 games.

CAROLINA / PANTHERS NOTES
The Hurricanes and the Panthers meet for their first of six match ups during the 2003-04 regular season. The teams will meet next on Monday, Oct. 13 at the RBC Center. Along with three other meetings during the year, the teams will play each other in the regular-season finale on April 4, at the Office Depot Center.

The Panthers won four of the teams’ five 2002-03 regular-season match ups, including the three meetings in Sunrise. The Hurricanes were led by Erik Cole, Ron Francis, Sean Hill and Jeff O’Neill, who each recorded three points against Florida in the five-game regular-season series.

2002-03 SCORING LEADERS AND GOALTENDERS

HURRICANES
	GP	G	A	TP
92 O'Neill	82	30	31	61
10 Francis	82	22	35	57
17 Brind'Amour	48	14	23	37
19 Vrbata	76	16	19	35
Goalies	GP	GAA	W-L-T	SV%
1 Storr	39	2.55	12-19-2	.905
80 Weekes	51	2.55	14-24-9	.912
PANTHERS
	GP	G	A	TP
12 Jokinen	81	36	29	65
25 Kozlov	74	22	34	56
22 Huselius	78	20	23	43
18 Nilson	82	15	19	34
Goalies	GP	GAA	W-L-T	SV%
1 Luongo	65	2.71	20-34-7	.917
31 Shields	36	2.76	12-13-9	.896