Music: {allcanada} Winnipeg (8-9-4) at Carolina (8-11-4)

Thursday, November 24, 2011

{allcanada} Winnipeg (8-9-4) at Carolina (8-11-4)

Winnipeg (8-9-4) at Carolina (8-11-4)

TV: TSN, FSCR

Puck Drop: 7:00 pm EST Fri Nov 25, 2011

As the Atlanta Thrashers over the past few seasons, the Winnipeg Jets were successful in earning points against the Carolina Hurricanes at the RBC Center.

The way Carolina has been playing at home this month, Winnipeg has a good chance at continuing that run of good fortune.

The Jets look to remain unbeaten in regulation in their last seven visits to Raleigh as they face off with the Hurricanes on Friday night.

Winnipeg is 4-0-2 on the road against its Southeast Division rivals since the start of the 2009-10 season, and is 10-4-3 in North Carolina since 2006-07.

The Jets (8-9-4) are hoping that solid play carries over to this season, especially since they enter with a five-game road losing streak (0-2-3).

Winnipeg opened a three-game trip with a 4-3 overtime defeat to Washington on Wednesday night. Bryan Little (notes) tied the game at 3-all at 12:36 of the third period to help the Jets salvage a point and move to 3-0-1 in their last four games.

"It's something to build on," defenseman Mark Stuart (notes) said. "We want to make this a good road trip, so it's an OK start, but we need to rebound next game with a win."

Center Kyle Wellwood (notes), who leads Winnipeg with 17 points, had a goal and an assist to give him seven points during the 3-0-1 stretch.

The Jets have scored 18 goals over that span after notching 10 in going 0-3-2 in their previous five games.

"I think offensively we have a lot more confidence than we did at the beginning of the season," right wing Eric Fehr (notes) said. "I think we're making good plays entering the zone and making smart decisions."

Carolina fell to 2-4-1 in its last seven at home with a 4-3 shootout loss to Montreal on Wednesday night. The Hurricanes (8-11-4) opened the season with one regulation loss in their first five games at the RBC Center.

Trying to extend its wining streak to a season high-tying three games, Carolina blew a 2-0 lead after the first period Wednesday and let the Canadiens tie the score at 3-all just over a minute after it went ahead in the third.

"We're happy with the way we came out," center Brandon Sutter (notes), who had a goal and an assist, told the Hurricanes' official website. "It's a tough way for the game to end."

The Hurricanes have dropped eight of 12 overall this month.

"(The players) have to figure out a way to do it on nights where it's not easy for them," coach Paul Maurice said. "They can't just throw their hands up and say 'oh well, we'll try to play hard defensively the next night.' They need to find a way through it."

Carolina also wasted an early 2-0 lead in losing 5-3 at Winnipeg on Oct. 22. Five players scored for the Jets, while center Jeff Skinner (notes) had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes.

Winnipeg has won two of the past three meetings after going 1-4-3 in the previous eight.