Preview: Hurricanes at Capitals

HURRICANES (24-20-7) at CAPITALS (36-11-6)
7 p.m. ET; FS-CR, CSN-DC, NHL.TV

Hurricanes team scope

Eddie Lack was the first goaltender off the ice for the Carolina Hurricanes after the morning skate Tuesday, indicating he would start against the Washington Capitals. It would be Lack's first game since Nov. 10 because of a concussion. Lack was recalled from Charlotte of the American Hockey League on Jan. 29 after a two-game conditioning assignment. "Two good starts [in the AHL] and he's put in good work here recently and he's had lots of time to get himself ready," coach Bill Peters said. "I think he's ready. We just want to find out where [Ward is] at, then we'll make the decision this afternoon on what we're going to do in net." The Hurricanes have won three consecutive games and have a point in two of three games against the Capitals this season (1-1-1).

Capitals team scope

Braden Holtby will be in goal for the Capitals, who have won three consecutive games and nine straight at home. Holtby is 10-0-0 with 19 goals-against and three shutouts in his past 11 starts. The Capitals are the first team since the 1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins to score five or more goals in eight consecutive home games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. That doesn't mean the Hurricanes can be overlooked. "To me what they do is they get you in small areas, or if you turn the puck over against them they are a quick counter team off the rush or in these small areas just on their exits and stuff," coach Barry Trotz said. "They can turn what looks like a nothing situation into very dangerous situation." Since Dec. 31 the Capitals lead the NHL in wins (16), points (33), goals (84), and goal differential (plus-45). They also are first in the League with 78 points.

Hurricanes projected lineup

Jeff Skinner -- Derek Ryan -- Lee Stempniak
Sebastian Aho -- Jordan Staal -- Elias Lindholm
Brock McGinn -- Victor Rask -- Teuvo Teravainen
Joakim Nordstrom -- Jay McClement -- Viktor Stalberg
Jaccob Slavin -- Justin Faulk
Ron Hainsey -- Brett Pesce
Noah Hanifin -- Klas Dahlbeck
Eddie Lack
Cam Ward
Scratched: Matt Tennyson, Ryan Murphy, Ty Rattie
Injured:Bryan Bickell (illness)

Capitals projected lineup

Alex Ovechkin -- Nicklas Backstrom -- T.J. Oshie
Marcus Johansson -- Evgeny Kuznetsov -- Justin Williams
Brett Connolly -- Lars Eller -- Andre Burakovsky
Daniel Winnik -- Jay Beagle -- Tom Wilson
Karl Alzner -- John Carlson
Dmitry Orlov -- Matt Niskanen
Brooks Orpik -- Nate Schmidt
Braden Holtby
Philipp Grubauer
Scratched:Taylor Chorney
Injured: None

Status report

The Capitals sent forward Jakub Vrana to Hershey of the American Hockey League on Sunday.

Who's hot

Aho has five points in his past three games. Lindholm has 16 points in 14 games. Teravainen has four points in three games. Staal has one goal and three assists during a three-game point streak. … Backstrom has 23 points in his past 16 games. Kuznetsov has 23 points in his past 17 games. Connolly has two goals and two assists during a three-game point streak. Ovechkin has 18 points in 14 games. Oshie has 16 points in his past 13 games.