Arizona Coyotes look to sweep home-and-home with Carolina Hurricanes

Stop me if this sounds familiar, but the Arizona Coyotes are set the play the Carolina Hurricanes. No, it's not deja vu, it's just the second half of a back to back.

Tonight the Coyotes are looking to pick up another two points from a team that is struggling goaltending wise. Can they do it?

View from Carolina

For more on the Carolina Hurricanes, check out Canes Country

Let's remind ourselves about the Hurricanes, who we just saw on Friday night in Raleigh.

While the Hurricanes sit tied for last place in the Eastern Conference, there are quite a few things to like about what Carolina has done over the past couple of years. They have a bright young group of players led by Jeff Skinner, Noah Hanifin, and Victor Rask, and their 51.5 5v5 CF% is tied for 10th in the league. That is a decent foundation to build upon.

The problem for the Hurricanes this year - as it has been for several years now - is the team's goaltending. Both Cam Ward and Eddie Lack are signed through next season, but neither has played particularly well. Ward has not finished a season with a save percentage above .910 since 2012, while Lack has a dreadful .873 save percentage in 10 appearances this year.

Carolina is looking to get back in the win column but with their goaltending, you just don't know what you're going to get.

View from Arizona

The win in Carolina snapped a  game losing skid for the struggling Coyotes. Without Martin Hanzal, faceoff wins are staring to plummet for the team, which is taking its toll as the team struggles to get the puck out of its own zone or hold it in the offensive zone.

They are defending their goalie better, but there are still moments of ?! when someone pinches or doesn't cover their assignment. The team is young on the backend, and with Kevin Connauton out with what seems like a longer term injury, it could get younger before the season is over.

Three Questions

1. Can the Coyotes exploit the Carolina goaltending again? - Carolina's goaltending continues to be a sieve, if the Coyotes can take advantage of that they should get another win this evening.
2. Will the veterans start to get better? - In the last game against Carolina, Shane Doan finally scored and had two assists. Can the other veteran players catch up with the kids?
3. Can the Coyotes out shoot Carolina? - Arizona has been struggling to produce shots on goal lately, hopefully a home crowd can get them going.

Players to Watch

Arizona - Shane Doan - Can the Captain repeat his offensive output from Friday night? Doan walked away with three points against the Hurricanes, his first points in 5 games.

Carolina - Teuvo Teravainen - Teravainen came over to Carolina in the summer in a trade with the Blackhawks that left him and Bryan Bickell as Hurricanes. He is having a modest season with 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points as a 22 year old on a not yet cup contending Carolina team. He still has a dangerous shot that should be respected.

Injury Report

Alexander Burmistrov is still considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury, while Kevin Connauton is considered week-to-week with an upper body injury as well. Brad Richardson is still on injured reserve, but has been skating.

Carolina's Brock McGinn is considered is day-to-day with an upper body injury.

Puck Drop

Tonight's game begins at 6:30 PM Arizona time. You can watch the game on Fox Sports Arizona Plus or listen on ESPN Phoenix 620 AM.