GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: MONTREAL (0-0) at CAROLINA (0-0)

NHL: MONTREAL (0-0) at CAROLINA (0-0)

<h3>Hurricanes look to start off on right foot, face Canadiens</h3>

<div class="pre">Montreal (0-0) at Carolina (0-0) 7:00 pm EDT</div>

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) - The Carolina Hurricanes arelooking to bounce back from a disappointing 2006-07 season.

Cam Ward will look to get the Hurricanes off to a good startwhen the club hosts the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday in theregular-season opener for both teams.


Last season, Carolina became just the third team in NHL historyto miss the playoffs after winning the Stanley Cup in theprevious season.


After becoming just the fourth rookie in NHL history to capturethe Conn Smythe Trophy in 2006, Ward struggled in his sophomoreseason. Despite setting career-bests in wins (30),goals-against average (2.93) and save percentage (.897), hefailed to lead the defending champions back to the playoffs.

Ward did have a productive offseason, guiding Team Canada to agold medal at the 2007 World Championship. He went 5-0-0 with a2.20 GAA and .915 save percentage in the tournament.

Despite their struggles last season, the Hurricanes stilldefeated the Canadiens in their last three meetings.

Montreal's squad will look much different in coach GuyCarbonneau's second season.


Sheldon Souray's departure is the most significant loss afterthe gritty defenseman used his blistering shot to score 26 goalslast season. Along the way, Souray set the record forpower-play tallies by a defenseman with 19, helping theCanadiens boast the league's best power play at 22.8 percent.

The Canadiens went out and picked up 14-year veteran RomanHamrlik to replace Souray. The 33-year-old Hamrlik cannot beexpected to match Souray's offensive production, but hisexperience and leadership will be a plus for Montreal. Hescored seven goals and 38 points in 75 games with Calgary lastseason.


The Canadiens have missed the playoffs in five of the past sevenseasons and failed to sign free agent Daniel Briere, whodeclined the team's contract offer in the offseason and opted toplay for the Philadelphia Flyers instead.

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL AT CAROLINA
STARTING GOALIES: MON - CRISTOBAL HUET
CAR - CAM WARD

OFFICIALS: REF - GORD DWYER, KERRY FRASER
LIN - JONNY MURRAY, MARK PARE</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">MONTREAL VS CAROLINA - SCRATCHES

MONTREAL CAROLINA

G MURRAY HEALTHY T LETOWSKI HEALTHY
J GORGES HEALTHY C STILLMAN HEALTHY
K CHIPCHURA HEALTHY D SEIDENBERG HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 0
CAROLINA 0 19:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 0
CAROLINA 0 16:30 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 0
CAROLINA 1 14:33 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 0
CAROLINA 1
1ST PRD: CAR - (PP) ERIC STAAL 1 (SCOTT WALKER, FRANTISEK KABERLE)
3:37</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 0
CAROLINA 1 12:40 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 0
CAROLINA 1 11:43 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 0
CAROLINA 1 7:55 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 0
CAROLINA 1 7:32 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
CAROLINA 1
1ST PRD: MON - (PP) MARK STREIT 1 (ANDREI MARKOV, ALEXEI KOVALEV)
13:01</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
CAROLINA 1 4:10 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
CAROLINA 1 2:58 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
CAROLINA 1 1:30 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MONTREAL 1 1
CAROLINA 1 1 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: CAR - (PP) ERIC STAAL 1 (SCOTT WALKER, FRANTISEK KABERLE)
3:37
MON - (PP) MARK STREIT 1 (ANDREI MARKOV, ALEXEI KOVALEV)
13:01

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MON 8 8
CAR 13 13

GOALIES: MON - CRISTOBAL HUET
CAR - CAM WARD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">------------------------
Montreal 1 --1
Carolina 1 --1
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Carolina, Eric Staal 1 (power play) (Scott
Walker, Frantisek Kaberle), 3:37. 2, Montreal, Mark Streit 1 (power
play) (Andrei Markov, Alexei Kovalev), 13:01. Penalties: A Kovalev,
Mon (hooking), 1:51; M Ryder, Mon (holding), 9:13; A Ladd, Car
(holding stick), 12:02; M Komisarek, Mon (hooking), 15:12; M Streit,
Mon (holding), 16:07; R Brind'Amour, Car (goalie interference), 17:16;
P Brisebois, Mon (delay of game), 17:55.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Montreal 8 --8
Carolina 13 --13
-----------------------------

Goalies : Montreal, Cristobal Huet (13 shots, 12 saves). Carolina, Cam
Ward (8 shots, 7 saves). Referees: Gord Dwyer, Kerry Fraser.
Linesmen: Jonny Murray, Mark Pare.</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
CAROLINA 1 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
CAROLINA 1 16:22 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
CAROLINA 1 15:00 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>