Preview: Kings vs. Hurricanes

It's already been a historic February for the Carolina Hurricanes, who close out their schedule in the second month of 2019 against the Los Angeles Kings.
The Canes have earned a 9-3-0 record thus far in the month, which marks the most wins and points (18) in February in franchise history.

"We Believe in This Team"
Aside from a minor-league deal, the Hurricanes stood pat as Monday's trade deadline passed.
And why not?
The Canes are 18-6-1 in their last 25 games, a stretch that is nearly unrivaled in the NHL. Since Dec. 31, no team has more wins than the Canes and just one team has more points. Nino Niederreiter has tallied nine goals and six assists (15 points) in 16 games since joining the Canes, who also added Jordan Staal back to their lineup on Saturday. Why tinker with what's working, especially considering what those two pieces bring?
"We went into the day liking our team, and we're going to end today liking our team just as much," Canes President and General Manager Don Waddell said. "We believe in this team, and that's why we stuck with them."
PROJECTED LINEUP
With 20 games remaining in the season, the Hurricanes occupy the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Staal Makes Impact in Return
He may have only played 13:57 - well under his average ice time - in Dallas on Saturday, but Staal made an impact in his return to the lineup, right from his first shift.

That first shift was a grinding one. "Jordo's back," Mark Martinook smiled from the mentors' suite. Though he was 9-for-19 in the faceoff circle (also below his usual average, but he was admittedly a bit rusty), he won a crucial draw in his own zone late in the game that led to Jordan Martinook's empty-net goal that sealed the 3-0 win. Staal finished with that assist, a plus-one rating, two shots, a shot off the post and three hits.
"He was great. His conditioning for game-wise isn't quite there. I couldn't quite use him as much as I would have liked to, but he had some great offensive chances," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said after the game. "I can't say enough about him and the guys, the way they played here tonight."
The Last Meeting
A 2-0 shutout loss to the Kings in Los Angeles began what was a December to forget for the Hurricanes. Alec Martinez and the Kings converted on an offensive-zone faceoff win with just 2:13 left in regulation to break a scoreless deadlock, and Jonathan Quick made 34 saves in his first shutout of the season.
The Opposition
The Kings snagged a point in a 4-3 shootout loss to the NHL's top team in Tampa Bay on Monday night. Tuesday's match marks the final stop on a four-game, Eastern Conference road swing, which has not been kind to Los Angeles. The Kings, who are 11-17-5 away from home and rank last in the Western Conference, have been outscored 11-5 on the trip.
ADVANCE AUTO PARTS KEYS TO THE GAME

1. Work Hard
Each and every night, the Hurricanes have to come ready to work. They did just that in Dallas on Saturday, one of the most complete efforts from the team this season. Replicate that tonight, and a W will follow.
2. Be Heavy
The Kings are a heavy Western Conference team, and the Canes can counter with their physicality, especially now with Jordan Staal back in the lineup. Win battles in the corners, outwork opponents in front of the net and use an aggressive forecheck to generate offense.
3. Finish Strong
The Hurricanes have already put together a historic February, and they have the opportunity to add to it tonight. Finish the month strong by sticking to the things that make this team successful.
AT THE RINK
The Hurricanes are back at PNC Arena, and it's time to put another College Colors spotlight on an area university. Tonight, it's Appalachian State. There's still time to take advantage of this special offer, which includes
a discounted ticket and a co-branded beanie
.
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