Tonight at 7:00 p.m. ET, the Carolina Hurricanes (1-1-0) and Pittsburgh Penguins (2-0-0) faceoff in Metropolitan Division action live from Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. The game can be live streamed here. Carolina fans can listen to all the action on 99.9 FM The Fan, while Pittsburgh fans can access it at 105.9 WXDX-FM
These two teams now find themselves as division rivals that will meet four times this season under the NHL's new realignment. The Penguins took two of three from the Hurricanes last year and look to start the season with a three-game home winning streak while Carolina looks to get back above the .500 mark. Pittsburgh has won five-straight contests against Carolina that took place at Consol Energy Center.
The Penguins shutout the New Jersey Devils 3-0 in the season opener and then went on to defeat the Buffalo Sabres by a 4-1 tally, while the Hurricanes lost their home opener to the Detroit Red Wings by a 3-2 margin in overtime before defeating the reeling Philadelphia Flyers 2-1.
Carolina has yet to get much of a contribution from its top line of Eric Staal Alexander Semin and Jiri Tlusty, all three of which combined for 54 goals last season with Staal's 18, Semins' 13 and Tlusty's 23.
Despite the lack of scoring from its first line, Carolina has still found a way to get pucks to the back of the net, and young forward Jeff Skinner has paved the way with three points for the team in two games. Skinner had 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points last year in the lockout-shortened season, and is on a good pace to start the year. Veteran right winger Radek Dvorak (4-17-21 in 2013) has scored two of Carolina's three goals to start the year.
"It's very, very encouraging," Staal said of the team's depth per NHL.com. "That's a key piece to a great team: having balance in your lineup."
The Penguins, meanwhile, enter the season once again as one of the favorites to hoist the Stanley Cup as it boasts a potent offensive lineup and has gotten great goaltending so far this season, outscoring both opponents by a combined total of 7-1 so far.
Last year's Hart Trophy finalist Sidney Crosby (15-41-56 in 2013) and Evgeni Malkin (9-24-33) are two key pieces of a very deep lineup that Pittsburgh puts forth. Crosby, Craig Adams and Chuck Kobasew each have two goals for the Penguins through two games so far this season.
Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has two wins in as many games so far, and has only allowed one goal while stopping 47 of 48 shots. He breezed to a 4-1 win over Buffalo Sunday, despite not being tested all that often.
"Tonight [Fleury] didn't see a ton, 21 shots, but just the calmness in net. He's been solid and in control," coach Dan Bylsma told NHL.com about Fleury's start to the season.
The Penguins will look to continue their dominance over Carolina at home while the Hurricanes will try to write a new chapter in their first year as division rivals to the Penguins when the two faceoff tonight.
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