Eric Staal News

The Carolina Hurricanes have averaged the fewest goals in the NHL while the Toronto Maple Leafs have allowed the most per game.

Florida goalie Tomas Vokoun simply wouldn't let the Carolina Hurricanes end their losing streak.

Carolina's quest to snap its franchise-record tying losing streak just got a little harder, as the Hurricanes will be without center Eric Staal for tonight's game against the Florida Panthers at BankAtlantic Center.

San Jose has had little trouble racking up wins so far this season, though it's only in the last week or so the Sharks feel they've actually started playing well.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Eric Staal, right, falls to the ice during Sunday's game with San Jose as teammate Ray Whitney battles with Doug Murray of the Sharks.

Kent Huskins and Brad Staubitz scored 1:22 apart in the second period, Evgeni Nabokov made 25 saves and the surging San Jose defeated reeling Carolina 5-1 on Sunday.

The Carolina Hurricanes activated forward Erik Cole from injured reserve Sunday.

To be fair, it's very early in the NHL season. That said, today's NHL stars have huge expectations thrust upon them, and, to date, there is a long list of "stars" that are not shining right now, which may jeopardize their spot with their respective Olympic teams.

It's a special anniversary for Carolina Hurricanes center Eric Staal, and he'll spend it with NHL Live! It was four years and one day ago that the two-time NHL All-Star scored his first NHL hat trick, and he'll talk about that and more Thursday with co-hosts Deb Placey and E.J. Hradek.

The Hurricanes' Eric Staal took to the RBC Center ice twice Tuesday. The first time was Tuesday morning for the Hurricanes' scheduled practice, and Staal skated and worked hard.

The Carolina Hurricanes have mostly struggled on offense, especially on the road.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Off the post, off his face, on the ice and into the net. Cal Clutterbuck might not score too many goals like that.

Hockey: Duhatschek Weekly notebook: The NHL's slow starters Eric Staal and the Carolina Hurricanes only have two wins in their first eight games and are averaging less than three goals a game.

The New York Islanders will try once again to post their first win of the season when they welcome the struggling Carolina Hurricanes for tonight's battle at Nassau Coliseum.New York is 0-3-3 on the season and hasn't gained a point since beginning the campaign with three consecutive OT losses.

Martin Brodeur made 26 saves and moved within one shutout of tying Terry Sawchuk's NHL career record in leading the New Jersey Devils to a 2-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night.

RALEIGH Considering where they were with 20 minutes remaining in regulation, the Carolina Hurricanes had a decent feeling by the time Wednesday night's assignment was finished against the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

WHO TO WATCH: Penguins C Jordan Staal is on a three-game goal streak and has scored three goals in six games to start the season.

RALEIGH The pain of a miserable start to the NHL season was compounded for the Carolina Hurricanes because of more pain for right wing Erik Cole.

When you play a team called the Hurricanes, you have to expect rough weather. The forecast for Raleigh today calls for violent thunderstorms, and the Canadiens will face an offensive storm when they take the ice against Eric Staal & Co.

The Carolina Hurricanes will be without forward Erik Cole for four-to-six weeks after an MRI revealed a fracture in his lower left leg.