Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk will not play and is week to week with a lower-body injury sustained during a 3-2 overtime win against the Boston Bruins on Dec. 23. Faulk scored four goals and nine points in his past eight games after starting the season with seven points in 22 games. Defenseman Ryan Murphy, who has one assist in four games, will replace Faulk alongside Ron Hainsey and should be the only lineup change. Murphy recently played seven games on a conditioning stint with Charlotte of the American Hockey League before being recalled Dec. 5. "He played well down there and played better as it went," coach Bill Peters said. "Now it's time to do it at this level." Goalie Cam Ward, who has allowed four goals on 80 shots in three straight wins, is expected to start. Carolina resumes its schedule on a three-game winning streak. "It's been kind of growing. It hasn't been one thing," forward Jordan Staal said. "We're finding ways to win. We may not have played our best game in our last game against Boston, but good teams find ways to win." The Hurricanes are 5-1-1 in their past seven games but 5-8-6 on the road. Carolina's NHL-leading penalty kill (90.6 percent) could be tested against the Pittsburgh Penguins' fifth-ranked power play (22.5 percent). The Hurricanes allowed one goal on three power-play attempts against the Bruins.
