The Penguins will have to get a win on the road if they want to salvage a split of their home-and-home series with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The ‘Canes beat the Pens 4-2 on Friday night with excellent goaltending from Cam Ward and three points from 
Jiri Tlusty.
TONIGHT’S OPPONENT: The Hurricanes have struggled this season, with just a 7-12-3 record through 22 games. One of their lone bright spots has been a 4-3-1 record on home ice.
With games on back-to-back nights, it’s likely that Carolina will turn to backup netminder Anton Khudobin. Khudobin has an 0-4-2 record in six games this season. He has a .898 save percentage and a 2.96 goals against average.
The Penguins will go with Thomas Greiss in goal. Greiss has a .924 and a 2-1-1 record through four games this season. He has a 0-1 record and a .880 save percentage in one career game against the Hurricanes.
POWER OUTAGE: The Penguins power play has been ranked at the top of the league for most of the season. They currently have a 32.9% success rate, which is over four percent better than the second-ranked Washington Capitals.
The problem the Penguins power play has been having lately is lack of opportunities.
In the team’s last five games, they have a 2-2-1 record. In those games, they’ve drawn just nine power plays, which is under two per game. In their first 17 games, they drew 64 penalties, a rate of nearly four per game.
“If you’re going to get penalty calls, you have to earn them,” head coach Mike Johnston said. “You have to work, and you have to be quick to the net; quick out of corners, and force the defense to hook you or hold you.”
UP AND DOWN: Center Marcel Goc was injured during the first period of Friday night’s game. He blocked a shot with his foot and did not return to action on Friday.
As a result, the Penguins recalled center Andrew Ebbett from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Ebbett, 31, leads WBS with 12 assists and 17 points in 17 games.
The move leaves Wilkes-Barre with just 12 healthy forwards.
MINOR MATTERS: The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (11-8-2) host the St. John’s IceCaps at 7:05 p.m.
ECHL Wheeling (8-7) lost 5-1 to the Florida Everblades Friday night. Defenseman Zach Yuen scored the only goal for the Nailers. Eric Hartzell made 22 saves in the loss. The teams play again tonight at 7:35 p.m.
