Peters called up

The Carolina Hurricanes today recalled goaltender Justin Peters from the Albany River Rats. 

Canes' back-up netminder Manny Legace is suffering from pink eye. Legace was pulled yesterday after experiencing vision problems and significant swelling.

Peters returns to Carolina for the third time, but has yet to make his NHL debut. He will back up Cam Ward this afternoon as Carolina takes on the Boston Bruins. 

Peters ranks among the top goalies in the AHL with a 2.38 GAA and .922 SV% in 30 contests with Albany this season. 

The recall of Peters leaves the River Rats with just one healthy goaltender, veteran Mike Morrison, who has spent most of this season with the Florida Everblades of the ECHL.

Netminder Mike Murphy remains sidelined with a hip injury. 

The Rats' next game is scheduled for Tuesday in Bridgeport, while the Hurricanes play Wednesday against the Rangers in New York.

The Rats will need to sign a new goalie should Peters and Murphy remain unavailable. 

UPDATE: Canes' coach Paul Maurice tells the Raleigh News & Observer that Peters will be reassigned to Albany in time for the Rats' next game on Tuesday night in Bridgeport. 

Michael Leighton put on waivers

The Carolina Hurricanes today placed back-up goaltender Michael Leighton on waivers. 

Leighton, a former starter for the Rats, could be snatched up by another team at half price or reassigned to Albany should he go unclaimed. 

The Hurricanes signed veteran goalie Manny Legace earlier in the season after Cam Ward was injured. With Ward expected to return December 9, the Canes have a surplus of netminders.

Legace was favored over Leighton from the start and the vet outperformed the younger goaltender in the handful of games they split.

Leighton, 28, in the final year of his contract with Carolina, was hoping to find a starting job in the NHL next season, but the chances of that happening now are slim to none. 

In seven games with the Hurricanes this season, Leighton has a less than impressive 4.28 GAA and a .850 SV%. 

In 19 NHL games last season Leighton registered a decent 2.92 GAA and a .901 SV%. 

With the River Rats in 2007-08, Leighton recorded seven shutouts, a 2.10 GAA and a .931 SV% after 58 games.

If Leighton is reassigned to Albany, he would likely share time or serve as a back-up to Justin Peters, while rookie Mike Murphy could be sent to the ECHL for extra playing time.

UPDATE: Leighton cleared waivers today (12/8) at noon.

News & Notes

• Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union catches up with injured defenseman Casey Borer, who recently returned to Albany and started skating for the first time since having neck surgery in September. 

• Forward Rob Hennigar, who was recently recalled from the Florida Everblades of the ECHL, chats with Chris Fitz Gerald at the Troy Record about his new role as a member of the Albany River Rats. 

• Goaltender Justin Peters talks with Bill Cain of the Schenectady Daily Gazette about his time with the Canes and his desire to stay focused and prepared for any and all opportunities.  

• Center Harrison Reed, who was reassigned to the Florida Everblades on November 24, earned ECHL player of the week honors after scoring seven goals and five assists in four games with the Blades.

• Hurricanes' General Manager Jim Rutherford has expressed interest in "transitioning" his team. "If we could [move contracts out], we would probably move a handful of guys out today and move the younger guys in, even if they weren't ready," Rutherford told Tracking the Storm. The process is easier said than done. 

• Hurricanes' goaltender Cam Ward, who was cut by a skate blade on November 7, returned to practice this week and is hoping to play in net against New Jersey on December 9th. Barring any more injuries, the Canes will soon have three healthy netminders. Veteran goalie Manny Legace, who was signed to a two-way deal after Ward went down, could be reassigned to Albany. 

• Cory Lavalette at Canes Country has a bit more on the latest addition to the Rats' squad, Jiri Tlusty.

• Who is the funniest River Rat? Watch the latest installment of Murphy's Mailbag and find out. 

News & Notes

• Some say a two-goal lead is the hardest to keep. Look no further than last night's game against Syracuse for an example of why. Hockey is a sport based largely on momentum and perseverance. If a team is comfortable, their opponent is usually desperate. The best players and teams are those that play hard every shift of every game, no matter the situation or score. The River Rats have plenty of talent, but they are still struggling with consistency. The players, coaches and captains need to keep the bench energized at all times. Look for that to be the deciding factor as Albany heads into a busy weekend. 

• The River Rats have a packed schedule ahead of them. Albany will play three games in three nights: Friday at home against Wilkes Barre/Scranton, Saturday at home against Norfolk, and Sunday in Springfield. The East Division remains extremely tight so these games are vital. Albany, Norfolk and Wilkes Barre/Scranton are all tied with 16 points each. Remember, the crossover rule applies to the Eastern Conference this year. If the season ended today, only three teams in the East Division would qualify for the playoffs. 

• Rat-in-reserve Jacob MicFlikier continues to tear through the ECHL. The Florida Everblades' top-scorer was named Sher-wood Player of the Week for November 2-8. MicFlikier scored nine points in his first two games back from assignment in Albany. He landed a hat-trick and three assists on November 5. He has accumulated 17 points (7 G, 10 A) in just eight contests with the Blades. The Naples Daily News has more on everyone's favorite ECHL'er.

• Forward Milan Gajic, who was assigned to the ECHL after attending training camp with the River Rats, suffered a lower-body injury on November 4. He was ranked second in scoring on the Everblades with eight points in nine games. He was placed on 21-day injured reserve and is walking with the assistance of crutches. The Naples Daily News keeps us up-to-date.

• The Carolina Hurricanes have lost 13 games in a row. Veteran goaltender Manny Legace, who was signed after Cam Ward was injured, allowed four goals on 30 shots last night in a 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. Forwards Stephane Yelle and Scott Walker both left the game with injuries. Tim Conboy was the only healthy scratch on the Canes' roster. Bryan Rodney, who was called up to replace an ill Joni Pitkanen, registered 21:29 of ice-time, the third-highest on the team. Rodney had an even plus/minus rating, skated on the power-play unit, and was not on the ice during any of the goals against. He was given a tripping penalty in the first period, but Carolina killed it off. 

Canes sign Manny Legace

With goaltender Cam Ward expected to miss significant time with a lacerated leg, the Carolina Hurricanes today signed veteran netminder Manny Legace to a two-way, one-year deal. 

That means Rats' starter Justin Peters will be sticking around, at least for now.

The Canes would rather bring in Legace than put all the weight on two goalies with limited experience. Justin Peters, along with Michael Leighton, both lack time in the NHL, whereas Legace is a battle-tested goalie with more than 15 years of professional play under his belt. 

Still, if Legace does not perform, Peters will be waiting on deck. 

Where Legace lands when Ward returns is anyone's guess.