The Carolina Hurricanes managed to earn a win to close out this past weekend despite a lackluster defensive effort, but they weren't as fortunate in their latest game.
They now face an Anaheim team that hasn't scored too often of late but has shined at the other end of the ice.
The Ducks will try for another stingy performance Friday night while registering a fifth consecutive win over the Hurricanes.
Carolina (10-14-4) prevailed 5-4 against visiting Arizona on Sunday by scoring two goals in the final five minutes, and Justin Faulk netted the winner with 17 seconds to go on a power play.
The Hurricanes almost outdid themselves Tuesday in Dallas, rallying from a four-goal deficit after the second intermission to tie the game with 6:43 left.
The Stars' Patrick Sharp, though, tallied a power-play goal with 19 seconds remaining in a 6-5 victory, handing Carolina its fifth consecutive road defeat in the opener to a four-game trip.
"A shot on the ice through a guy, right? You either need a penalty killer or need a save, one or the other or you'd like both," coach Bill Peters said.
Faulk had a pair of goals, including his league-leading 11th on the power play. If the defenseman can continue that success, it might be enough to lead Carolina past the Ducks (11-12-5) for the first time since a 3-2 shootout win Nov. 15, 2013.
The Hurricanes have also lost in four consecutive trips to Anaheim (0-2-2) since a 3-1 win Oct. 19, 2008.
The Ducks' formula for their most recent victory was quite the opposite of Carolina's. They have totaled four goals in their last three games but have won the past two.
John Gibson registered a 1-0 victory against San Jose last Friday, his second shutout in four games. Coach Bruce Boudreau chose to stick with him Sunday against Pittsburgh, and Gibson rewarded him with a 2-1 victory.
He's allowed a combined three goals in four of his six consecutive starts.
Chris Stewart provided Anaheim with the go-ahead goal in the second period Sunday, and Corey Perry had his fifth in seven games.
"When you can hold a one-goal lead against two very good offensive opponents in the third period, it's the way teams win championships," Boudreau said. "Not that we're there yet, but that's the start of what we're going to do. If we're not going to score a lot of goals, we have to win those games 2-1, 1-0, or 3-2 if we're lucky."
The Ducks had a little more cushion in a 4-1 win in Carolina on Nov. 16 with former Hurricanes netminder Anton Khudobin making 24 saves. Carl Hagelin tallied one goal and two assists for Anaheim.
The Ducks have scored a combined 10 goals in their last two home matchups with Carolina and needed a late rally for a 5-4 overtime victory in the most recent contest Feb. 3.
Anaheim scored twice in the final 11 minutes of regulation, with Perry netting the tying goal with 4:08 remaining. He then registered his second assist that night on Ryan Getzlaf's game-winner.
Perry has seven goals and seven assists in his last nine matchups against Carolina. Getzlaf has five goals and seven assists in his past 10.
The Hurricanes haven't lost six in a row on the road since their 0-5-1 start last season.
