GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NHL: MONTREAL (4-4) at CAROLINA (6-4)

NHL: MONTREAL (4-4) at CAROLINA (6-4)

<h3>Canadiens, Hurricanes both vying for three-game win streak</h3>

<div class="pre">Montreal (4-2-2) at Carolina (6-1-3) 7:00 pm EDT</div>

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) -- The Montreal Canadiens andCarolina Hurricanes will both try to extend their respectivewinning streaks to three games when they meet at the RBC Centeron Friday night.


The Canadiens are coming off two strong wins against the BostonBruins and Buffalo Sabres, outscoring their opponents over thatstretch by a 10-3 margin.


Patrice Brisebois and Andrei Markov each scored a power-playgoal for the Canadiens in a 6-1 drubbing of the Bruins onMonday. Montreal has 11 power-play tallies in 41 opportunities,giving it the second-best power-play percentage in the NHL at26.8 percent.


The Hurricanes, meanwhile, have also been terrific with theman-advantage, scoring 14 goals this season, tied for tops inthe NHL with the Los Angeles Kings.


Carolina has been dominating its opponents in its last twogames. Eric Staal scored a goal and added two assists in a 6-2rout of the Sabres in a contest on Wednesday.


Staal is off to a hot start, scoring seven goals and fiveassists in 10 games this season. The 22-year-old center had 30goals and 40 assists last season after posting 45 tallies and 55assists during the 2005-06 campaign, his second in the league.

 

NHL: MONTREAL (4-4) at CAROLINA (6-4)

<h3>Canadiens, Hurricanes both vying for three-game win streak</h3>

<div class="pre">Montreal (4-2-2) at Carolina (6-1-3) 7:00 pm EDT</div>

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) -- The Montreal Canadiens andCarolina Hurricanes will both try to extend their respectivewinning streaks to three games when they meet at the RBC Centeron Friday night.


The Canadiens are coming off two strong wins against the BostonBruins and Buffalo Sabres, outscoring their opponents over thatstretch by a 10-3 margin.


Patrice Brisebois and Andrei Markov each scored a power-playgoal for the Canadiens in a 6-1 drubbing of the Bruins onMonday. Montreal has 11 power-play tallies in 41 opportunities,giving it the second-best power-play percentage in the NHL at26.8 percent.


The Hurricanes, meanwhile, have also been terrific with theman-advantage, scoring 14 goals this season, tied for tops inthe NHL with the Los Angeles Kings.


Carolina has been dominating its opponents in its last twogames. Eric Staal scored a goal and added two assists in a 6-2rout of the Sabres in a contest on Wednesday.


Staal is off to a hot start, scoring seven goals and fiveassists in 10 games this season. The 22-year-old center had 30goals and 40 assists last season after posting 45 tallies and 55assists during the 2005-06 campaign, his second in the league.

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

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

OFFICIALS: REF - ROB MARTELL, TIM PEEL
LIN - BRAD KOVACHIK, BRIAN MURPHY</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

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

MONTREAL CAROLINA

G MURRAY BROKEN FOOT D TANABE HEALTHY
J GORGES HEALTHY N WALLIN HEALTHY
A KOSTSITSYN HEALTHY E COLE FOOT INJURY</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 0
CAROLINA 0 17:30 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
CAROLINA 0
1ST PRD: MON - KYLE CHIPCHURA 2 (ANDREI MARKOV, TOM KOSTOPOULOS) 3:18</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

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

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 1
CAROLINA 0 11:51 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

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

MONTREAL CAROLINA

G MURRAY BROKEN FOOT D TANABE HEALTHY
J GORGES HEALTHY N WALLIN GROIN
A KOSTSITSYN HEALTHY E COLE FOOT INJURY</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 2
CAROLINA 0
1ST PRD: MON - (PP) TOMAS PLEKANEC 2 (GUILLAUME LATENDRESSE, MARK
STREIT) 8:40</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 2
CAROLINA 1
1ST PRD: CAR - JEFF HAMILTON 4 (ERIC STAAL, CORY STILLMAN) 11:21</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 3
CAROLINA 1
1ST PRD: MON - (PP) ALEXEI KOVALEV 5 (ANDREI MARKOV, TOMAS PLEKANEC)
12:20</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 3
CAROLINA 1 6:53 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 3
CAROLINA 1 2:00 LEFT, 1ST PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 5
CAROLINA 1
1ST PRD: MON - (PP) MARK STREIT 2 (ROMAN HAMRLIK, TOMAS PLEKANEC)
18:36</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 5
CAROLINA 1
1ST PRD: MON - (PP) MARK STREIT 2 (ROMAN HAMRLIK, TOMAS PLEKANEC)
18:36</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MONTREAL 5 5
CAROLINA 1 1 END OF THE 1ST

GOAL SCORING:

1ST PRD: MON - KYLE CHIPCHURA 2 (ANDREI MARKOV, TOM KOSTOPOULOS) 3:18
MON - (PP) TOMAS PLEKANEC 2 (GUILLAUME LATENDRESSE, MARK
STREIT) 8:40
CAR - JEFF HAMILTON 4 (ERIC STAAL, CORY STILLMAN) 11:21
MON - (PP) ALEXEI KOVALEV 5 (ANDREI MARKOV, TOMAS PLEKANEC)
12:20
MON - (PP) SAKU KOIVU 3 (UNASSISTED) 18:06
MON - (PP) MARK STREIT 2 (ROMAN HAMRLIK, TOMAS PLEKANEC)
18:36

SHOTS ON GOAL: 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
MON 14 14
CAR 15 15

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

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">------------------------
Montreal 5 --5
Carolina 1 --1
------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Montreal, Kyle Chipchura 2 (Andrei Markov,
Tom Kostopoulos), 3:18. 2, Montreal, Tomas Plekanec 2 (power play)
(Guillaume Latendresse, Mark Streit), 8:40. 3, Carolina, Jeff Hamilton
4 (Eric Staal, Cory Stillman), 11:21. 4, Montreal, Alexei Kovalev 5
(power play) (Andrei Markov, Tomas Plekanec), 12:20. 5, Montreal, Saku
Koivu 3 (power play) (Unassisted), 18:06. 6, Montreal, Mark Streit 2
(power play) (Roman Hamrlik, Tomas Plekanec), 18:36. Penalties: M
Grabovski, Mon (holding), 5:14; T Letowski, Car (tripping), 8:09; M
Commodore, Car (hooking), 11:53; F Kaberle, Car (hooking), 16:19; G
Wesley, Car (delay of game), 17:30; T Kostopoulos, Mon (major
fighting), 18:38; C Adams, Car (major fighting), 18:38.

Shots on goal:
-----------------------------
Montreal 14 --14
Carolina 15 --15
-----------------------------

Goalies : Montreal, Cristobal Huet (15 shots, 14 saves). Carolina, Cam
Ward (14 shots, 9 saves). Referees: Rob Martell, Tim Peel. Linesmen:
Brad Kovachik, Brian Murphy.</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL MONTREAL 5
CAROLINA 1 19:55 LEFT, 2ND PRD</div>

 

NHL: MONTREAL at CAROLINA

<div class="pre">NHL AT CAROLINA
CAR GOALIE CHANGE
JOHN GRAHAME, 20:00 2ND PRD</div>