CAROLINA HURRICANES (16-22-6-4, 42 pts.)
at
WASHINGTON CAPITALS (21-18-6-3, 51 pts.)
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003, 7 p.m. at MCI Center

GAME NIGHT

The defending Eastern Conference champion Carolina Hurricanes travel to MCI Center to face Washington at 7 p.m. The teams last met on Jan. 10 at RBC Center, a 4-1 Washington win. Tonight marks the first of three straight and divisional games for Carolina.

PRACTICE TIMES

Jan. 22	Wednesday	MCI Center	11:30 a.m.
Jan. 23	Thursday	RBC Center	11 a.m.
Jan. 24	Friday	RBC Center	10:30 a.m.
Jan. 25	Saturday	Office Depot Center	11:30 a.m.
Jan. 26	Sunday	RecZone	11:45 a.m.
Jan. 27	Monday	RBC Center	3 p.m.
Jan. 28	Tuesnday	RecZone	11 a.m.
Jan. 29	Wednesday	RBC Center	10:30 a.m.

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); 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 have gone 12-3-3-0 this season in games when they have scored three or more goals. Last season Carolina went 28-6-5-1 when it scored three or more goals… The Hurricanes have not lost in regulation this season when leading after two periods and hold a 10-0-1-2 record in that department. Carolina went 22-0-2-2 last season in games when it led after two periods.

CAROLINA AT HOME: 8-10-5-3
CAROLINA ON THE ROAD: 8-12-1-1
CAROLINA ON THE POWER PLAY: 42-of-267 (15.7%)
CAROLINA SHORTHANDED: 216-of-257 (84.0%)

CAROLINA INJURY UPDATE
Center Rod Brind’Amour was placed on injured reserve Jan. 21 with an injured right hand.

CAROLINA / WASHINGTON NOTES
The Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals meet tonight in the third of five matchups this season and second of two January meetings. The Capitals took the teams’ first game this year 2-1 on Oct. 17 at RBC Center and won again in Raleigh on Jan. 10, 4-1. The Capitals won the regular-season series against the Hurricanes last season 2-1-2. Carolina’s lone win came on Nov. 8, 2001 at the MCI Center 3-2 on a game-winning goal by Jeff O’Neill in the third period. The teams tied on March 8, 2002 in Raleigh 2-2 and on Dec. 30, 2001 at the MCI Center 5-5. Washington took a 4-3 overtime victory in Raleigh on Dec. 2, 2001 and came away with a 6-2 victory at the MCI Center on Nov. 30, 2001. Sami Kapanen led Carolina with eight points (2 goals, 6 assists) against Washington. Ron Francis scored four goals in the five games. The Hurricanes are 27-46-13-1 in the all-time regular-season series against Washington. The Hurricanes are 14-21-9-1 against the Capitals at home and 13-25-4-0 in Washington.

CAPITALS NOTES
With the Capitals 4-1 loss against Toronto on Jan. 17, the team's streak of recording a standings point in 14 consecutive games ended. The streak tied a franchise record that had been recorded two previous times, during the 1983-84 and 1982-83 seasons. Throughout the 14-game stretch, the Capitals earned a record of 8-0-3-3 and accumulated 22 standings points, moving them from fourth place in the Southeast Division and 12th in the Eastern Conference to first and third respectively. Prior to the loss against Toronto, they hadn't been defeated in regulation since Dec. 14 at San Jose (2-0).

SCORING LEADERS AND GOALTENDERS

HURRICANES
	GP	G	A	TP
17 Brind'Amour	48	14	23	37
92 O'Neill	48	19	17	36
10 Francis	48	16	17	33
26 Cole	48	13	11	24
Goalies	GP	GAA	W-L-T	SV%
1 Irbe	21	2.98	6-13-2	.891
80 Weekes	31	2.38	10-13-4	.920
CAPITALS
	GP	G	A	TP
68 Jagr	47	23	25	48
92 Nylander	46	12	31	43
55 Gonchar	48	10	29	39
20 Lang	48	13	24	37
Goalies	GP	GAA	W-L-T	SV%
37 Kolzig	35	2.41	17-13-4	.922
35 Charpentier	10	2.77	3-5-1	.912