CAROLINA HURRICANES (14-12-5-3, 36 pts.)
at
DALLAS STARS (18-8-8-1, 45 pts.)
Sunday, December 22 at 1:30 p.m. at RBC Center

GAME NIGHT

The defending Eastern Conference champion Carolina Hurricanes host the Dallas Stars in a Sunday afternoon matinee before the holiday break. The Hurricanes earned a 3-2 come-from-behind overtime victory in Atlanta on Friday night. Carolina has lost just nine times in regulation in its last 29 games. All but 13 of the Hurricanes' last 28 opponents participated in the 2002 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Dallas enters the game with the best record in hockey. The Stars are concluding a five-game, nine-day road trip before Christmas.
Carolina captain Ron Francis tallied a goal and an assist in the third period of Friday night’s game at Atlanta and now has 13 points (6g, 7a) in his last 12 games. Francis is one assist shy of becoming the second player in NHL history after Wayne Gretzky to tally 1,200 career assists. Second-year forward Erik Cole has 15 points (9g, 6a) in the last 16 games. Sami Kapanen played in his 500th NHL game on Friday.

PRACTICE TIMES

Dec. 23	Monday	RBC Center	TBA
Dec. 24	Tuesday	RBC Center	TBA
Dec. 26	Thursday	RBC Center	TBA
Dec. 27	Friday	RBC Center	10:30 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
Carolina sits just one point behind Southeast Division-leading Tampa Bay after defeating the Atlanta Thrashers 3-2 in overtime Friday night. Netminder Kevin Weekes returned to the ice after missing eight games due to a concussion. The Hurricanes will have a four-day break for the holidays before entering their eighth of 19 sets of back-to-back games. Carolina will host the Atlanta Thrashers on Friday, Dec. 27 and then travel to New York to face the Islanders on Saturday, Dec. 28.

CAROLINA AT HOME: 7-4-5-2
CAROLINA ON THE ROAD: 7-8-0-1
CAROLINA ON THE POWER PLAY: 36-of-197 (18.3%)
CAROLINA SHORTHANDED: 159-of-186 (85.5%)

CAROLINA INJURY UPDATE
Bret Hedican missed the game at Atlanta (12/20) due to a concussion. He is day-to-day.
Josef Vasicek missed the game at Atlanta (12/20) with a back injury. He is day-to-day.

CAROLINA / DALLAS NOTES
Carolina and Dallas meet tonight for the first of two matchups during the 2002-03 regular season. The Hurricanes won the regular season series against the Stars last season 1-0-1, earning a 3-0 victory in Raleigh on Oct. 7 and playing to a 4-4 tie with the Stars in Dallas on Nov. 21 at the American Airlines Center. Erik Cole led all scorers in the season series with four points (1g, 3a) and a (+4) rating in the two games. Rod Brind’Amour tallied three points (1g, 2a) and a (+4) rating against Dallas. Goaltender Arturs Irbe was 1-0-0, earning a shutout against his former team on Oct. 7 with 32 saves. The Hurricanes are 22-30-6-0 all-time against the Stars including a 12-14-4-0 record at home and a 10-16-2-0 record at Minnesota/Dallas.

STARS NOTES
The Stars lost to the Devils in New Jersey on Saturday afternoon before heading to Raleigh to take on the Hurricanes. Dallas will be without alternate captain and leading scorer Mike Modano indefinitely. Modano was placed on Injured Reserve after sustaining a concussion on Dec. 17 at Philadelphia. Center Jason Arnott has scored five goals in his past 10 games (7g, 1a). Four of his nine goals this season have been game-winners, which ties him for sixth in the NHL through games of Dec. 20.

SCORING LEADERS AND GOALTENDERS

HURRICANES
	GP	G	A	TP
17 Brind'Amour	34	11	16	27
92 O'Neill	34	10	17	27
10 Francis	34	14	12	26
26 Cole	34	11	10	21
Goalies	GP	GAA	W-L-T	SV%
1 Irbe	15	2.91	5-8-1	.891
80 Weekes	21	2.06	9-6-4	.931
STARS
	GP	G	A	TP
9 Modano	33	13	22	35
13 Guerin	35	16	16	32
77 Turgeon	35	8	21	29
56 Zubov	35	4	23	27
Goalies	GP	GAA	W-L-T	SV%
31 Tugnutt	8	2.68	3-2-2	.905
35 Turco	29	1.75	15-7-6	.931