Cole returns as Carolina hosts Calgary

Hurricanes

Cole returns as Carolina hosts Calgary

By Associated Press

Mar 6, 2009

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It has only been one game, but the Calgary Flames have already started to benefit from Olli Jokinen.

Jokinen looks to build on his successful debut with his new club, and the Flames try for their first seven-game road winning streak in more than 20 years as they face the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night.

Calgary (39-19-6) owns a comfortable lead in the Northwest Division, but further strengthened its postseason chances by acquiring the Jokinen from Phoenix on Wednesday at the trade deadline.

Jokinen, who holds the NHL record for games played (781) without a playoff appearance, made an immediate impact by scoring twice in a 5-1 victory at Philadelphia on Thursday.

"It was easy to come here," said Jokinen, who was the Coyotes' second-leading scorer. "I'm just trying to fit in and help this team win games."

Fellow trade-deadline addition Jordan Leopold - a defenseman for the Flames from 2002-06 before he was dealt to Colorado - also scored.

With the win, Calgary improved to 9-1-2 in its last 12. The Flames also opened 10-point advantage on second-place Vancouver in the Northwest.

Jokinen centered Calgary's top line between captain Jarome Iginla and Michael Cammalleri, who combined for a goal and four assists to extend their respective point streaks. Iginla has seven goals and eight assists in six straight, while Cammalleri has five goals and seven assists in his last five.

They are the Flames' top two scorers with 76 and 66 points, respectively.

Jokinen, meanwhile, has six goals and four assists in his last nine overall. He also has 20 goals and 52 points - his most versus any opponent - in 52 career matchups versus the Hurricanes.

Calgary now looks to improve to 3-0 on its season-high seven-game swing, while winning a seventh straight road game for the first time since Nov. 10-Dec. 4, 1988. The Flames haven't played the Hurricanes since a 4-3 road victory on Dec. 14, 2007.

Carolina (33-27-5) returns to the RBC Center seeking its fourth straight win there and sixth in eight games overall. On Tuesday, the 'Canes got two goals from Patrick Eaves in a 5-2 win over Southeast Division-leading Washington.

"We scored in probably every way you could, and it was good. We needed that," said Eaves after his team tallied two short-handed goals, one even-strength, one on the power play and one on a penalty shot.

With 71 points, the Hurricanes are tied with Buffalo for ninth in the East. They hope the re-acquisition of Erik Cole from Edmonton in a three-team trade on Wednesday will provide a boost.

Cole totaled 129 goals and 280 points while spending his first six NHL seasons with the Hurricanes before he was dealt to the Oilers in July. He is expected to join Eric Staal and Tuomo Ruutu on the top line.

"We're in the most crucial time of our season where we had a chance to bring back a good player, and we decided that was the thing to do to give us a better chance of making the playoffs right now and going forward," general manager Jim Rutherford told the Hurricanes' official Web site.

Carolina hasn't reached the postseason since winning the Stanley Cup in 2006.

Most Recent Comments

RE: Cole returns as Carolina hosts Calgary

Looks like Cole already had an impact on the Canes. Great win. Lets hope they can keep it up as this is a critical time of the year.

RE: Cole returns as Carolina hosts Calgary

Let's hope Cole has an impact in the same way that Jokinen and Gerber did last night for their new teams. I know part of the hope is that Cole will get Staal to pick up his game a notch, but I would also like to see Cole get on the scoresheet quickly. This is not easy game tonight, and with Pittsburgh and the Rangers winning last night, we fell a couple more points out of a playoff spot.

RE: Cole returns as Carolina hosts Calgary

This article was more about Jokinen than Cole. The title of the article made it sound like it was going to be on Cole! What's up with that?? Also, I think that Canes fans are well aware that we haven't made the playoffs since winning the Stanley Cup. That doesn't need to be brought up every time there is something said about the Hurricanes!
- Posted by trucaniac

It's the same article from the game preview on the canes website. Hopefully Jokinen won't be on the score sheet tonight like he was last night.

RE: Cole returns as Carolina hosts Calgary

dont worry rushbot, Im sure there will be an event on tv tonite with rednecks dressed up as cowboys trying to throw a rope around a cows legs. I realize hockey is a little too fast and complex for a high school dropout such as yourself.

RE: Cole returns as Carolina hosts Calgary

This article was more about Jokinen than Cole. The title of the article made it sound like it was going to be on Cole! What's up with that?? Also, I think that Canes fans are well aware that we haven't made the playoffs since winning the Stanley Cup. That doesn't need to be brought up every time there is something said about the Hurricanes!

WRAL Sports Fan

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