Chicago @ Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 12, 2018 ) Chicago 2, Carolina 3

The Carolina Hurricanes have fizzled following a sizzling start to the season and will look to get back on track following a rocky road trip. Winners of five straight and six of seven to open the season, the Hurricanes dropped the final three of a four-game road trip and look to rebound when the slumping Chicago Blackhawks pay a visit on Saturday afternoon.

After opening the four-game trek with a 2-0 win in Los Angeles, Carolina stumbled at San Jose (5-2) and Anaheim (4-2) before blowing a two-goal lead in a 4-3 overtime setback at Columbus. "We're certainly never going to be the team we want to be if we have 15 guys playing or even if we have 18," coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "We need all 20 guys to be digging in, and there are a few guys that aren't quite there yet." The Blackhawks will be playing their first true road game but they failed to take advantage of a seven-game homestand, earning six of a possible 14 points (2-3-2). "I think the last game we can throw in the trash and build off of what we did two games before that," captain Jonathan Toews said. "We played three pretty good teams here and two out of three I think we had pretty good games it's a lot of positive to take from it."

TV: 1 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, FS Carolina

ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (2-4-2): Forward Brendan Perlini, who scored 12 goals in 46 games with Chicago after he was acquired from Arizona last season, confirmed to reporters Friday that he has requested a trade. “Obviously I haven’t gotten in many games this year and stuff. That’s something for me, I feel like I got to play,” said Perlini, a healthy scratch in seven of eight games. “That’s why I play the game, that’s to play hockey, not miss games and stuff. It’s tough." The Blackhawks have failed on all 13 power-play chances over the past three games.

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (6-3-1): Dougie Hamilton continued his torrid start by scoring against Columbus to become the first defenseman to notch six goals in the month of October since Montreal's Sheldon Souray in 2006-07. Top-line center Sebastian Aho, who set career highs across the board with 30 goals, 53 assists and 83 points last season, also scored against the Blue Jackets for his third goal, although his first two were into an empty net. Petr Mrazek, who has allowed four goals in each of his last two starts, is 1-2-1 with a 3.05 goals-against average versus Chicago.

OVERTIME

1. Hurricanes F Erik Haula, who has a team-high seven goals, has five tallies and five assists in 17 games against Chicago.

2. Blackhawks F Patrick Kane, who has eight points in as many games, has only two goals and five assists in 14 meetings versus Carolina.

3. The Hurricanes are 6-1-1 in the last eight against Chicago.

PREDICTION: Hurricanes 3, Blackhawks 2