CAROLINA HURRICANES (10-7-4-3, 27 pts.)
at
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (9-10-2-2, 22 pts.)
Saturday, November 30 at 7:00 p.m. at Nationwide Arena

GAME NIGHT

The defending Eastern Conference champion Carolina Hurricanes travel to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. The Hurricanes defeated the Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings at RBC Center 6-4 on Friday in a rematch of the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals. Saturday’s game at Columbus is the second half of Carolina’s fourth of 19 sets of back-to-back games this season. The Hurricanes scored five consecutive power play goals against the Red Wings on Friday night. Carolina last netted five power play goals in a 6-4 Hartford win versus the New York Islanders on March 14, 1995. The Hurricanes have scored 16 goals in their last four games. Carolina has lost just four times in regulation in its last 19 games. All but four of the Hurricanes' last 19 opponents participated in the 2002 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Linemates on the BBC, Rod Brind’Amour, Bates Battaglia, and Erik Cole have combined for 21 points in the last six games. Brind’Amour has tallied nine points (2g, 7a) during that stretch and seven points (1g, 6a) in the last four games. Battaglia has four points (2g, 2a) in six games, including two assists against Detroit on Friday night. Cole has eight points (4g, 4a) and was named a runner-up for NHL Player of the Week last week, totaling seven points (4g, 3a) and registering a (+5) rating in three games.

PRACTICE TIMES

Nov. 30	Saturday	Nationwide Arena	11:30 a.m.
Dec. 1	Sunday	RBC Center	TBA
Dec. 2	Monday	RBC Center	TBA
Dec. 3	Tuesday	Gaylord Entertainment Center	11:30 a.m.
Dec. 4	Wednesday	National Car Rental Center	11:30 a.m.

ON THE AIR
Television: Fox Sports Net (NC & SC)
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
The Hurricanes are currently in their fourth of 19 sets of back-to-back games this season. Carolina is 5-2-0-0 in back-to-back games with a 4-0-0-0 record in the front half and a 1-2-0-0 record in the back half of back-to-back games. The Hurricanes were 15-16-3 in back-to-back games in 2000-01, with a record of 8-6-3 in the first games and 7-10-0 in the second games. Jan Hlavac netted his third career hat trick and first with the franchise in the 6-4 win over Detroit Friday night. Hlavac has tallied 10 points (5g, 5a) since he was acquired from Vancouver on Nov. 1.

CAROLINA AT HOME: 7-3-4-2
CAROLINA ON THE ROAD: 3-4-0-1
CAROLINA ON THE POWER PLAY: 28-of-155 (18.1%)
CAROLINA SHORTHANDED: 116-of-134 (86.6%)

CAROLINA INJURY UPDATE
Josef Vasicek missed the game against Detroit (11/29) due to back spasms. He is day-to-day.

CAROLINA / COLUMBUS NOTES
The Carolina Hurricanes and the Columbus Blue Jackets meet tonight for the first of two matchups this season. Columbus will visit Carolina on Monday March 10, 2003. The Hurricanes and Blue Jackets met just once last season, with Carolina earning the win, 5-2 in Raleigh on November 19. Erik Cole led the Hurricanes in points with two in the game (0g, 2a). Rod Brind’Amour, Jeff Daniels, Marek Malik, Jeff O’Neill, and Glen Wesley all scored goals against the Blue Jackets. Arturs Irbe was in net for Carolina and made 16 saves. The Hurricanes lead the series with the Blue Jackets 2-1-0-0 overall and 2-0-0-0 in Raleigh. The Blue Jackets own the series in Columbus 1-0-0-0.

BLUE JACKETS NOTES
The Blue Jackets return home for the back half of their third set of back-to-back games this season. Columbus defeated the New York Islanders 4-2 at Nassau Coliseum Friday night. The Blue Jackets have earned at least a point in eight of their last 11 home games and 9 of 13 overall. Winger Rick Nash is tied for third in points with 12 (5g, 7a), tied for third in goals, second in power-play points (5) and second in power-play assists (5) among rookies.

SCORING LEADERS AND GOALTENDERS

HURRICANES
	GP	G	A	TP
17 Brind'Amour	24	10	14	24
92 O'Neill	24	7	13	20
10 Francis	24	8	8	16
26 Cole	24	6	8	14
Goalies	GP	GAA	W-L-T	SV%
1 Irbe	6	3.58	2-4-0	.871
80 Weekes	20	2.07	8-6-4	.931
BLUE JACKETS
	GP	G	A	TP
25 Cassels	23	6	19	25
14 Whitney	23	9	14	23
8 Sanderson	23	12	8	20
16 Sillinger	23	4	11	15
Goalies	GP	GAA	W-L-T	SV%
30 Denis	22	2.82	9-11-2	.912
35 Labbe	2	5.22	0-1-0	.846