The Carolina Hurricanes had a bit of good news on Friday as both Charles Alexis Legault and Noah Philp both returned to practice following extended injury absences. Legault, 22, appeared in eight games for the Hurricanes this season before a gruesome injury to his hand shut him down for multiple months.

Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin bloodied Oliver Moore in a fight, but the Blackhawks forward later delivered the winning shootout goal.

The Raleigh-based Hurricanes have won three straight games and gone 7-2-1 in their last 10 to assume their usual spots atop the Metropolitan Division and in the upper echelon of B/R's NHL Power Rankings, where they climbed one ladder rung from fourth to third after this week's voting.

Andrei Svechnikov had a hat trick and Frederik Andersen made 28 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 on Saturday night.

Zoom in a bit, and the Panthers have bullied Carolina this season as well.

BOTTOM LINE: The Ottawa Senators and the Carolina Hurricanes meet in Eastern Conference action. Ottawa is 23-20-7 overall and 11-9-4 in home games. The Senators have a -6 scoring differential, with 163 total goals scored and 169 conceded.

The Carolina Hurricanes continued to have fun online following their win at home against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.