By MIKE LIPKA
STATS Writer

Carolina (2-8-3) at Florida (4-7-1), 7:30 p.m. EDT

While the Florida Panthers are showing signs that their dismal
start could be turning around, things just keep getting worse
for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Carolina's most recent victory came against the Panthers on Oct.
9, but the visiting Hurricanes will be without star center Eric
Staal as they try to repeat the feat and avoid a 10th straight
loss Wednesday.

The Hurricanes' worst start in franchise history has been
shocking after the team reached the Eastern Conference finals
last season and brought back most of its key players.

Carolina (2-8-3) has had major problems all over the ice during
its 0-6-3 skid and shown little progress, having been outscored
16-4 in its last three games.

"I think we're all taken aback, and I think that's part of it,"
coach Paul Maurice said after Sunday's 5-1 home loss to San
Jose. "I think that things that you've seen work well in the
past haven't worked well. Areas that you expected to be strong
in - forechecking and controlling the puck in the offensive zone
- (haven't worked). That surprises the hell out of you."

Even Staal, who has totaled 327 points over the past four
seasons while playing in every game, has struggled. He has five
points in 13 contests and his streak of 349 consecutive games
played will end after he left Sunday's loss with an upper-body
injury.

"He'll play through most things but he couldn't go," Maurice
said that night. The coach announced Tuesday that Staal is "week
to week" and will likely miss at least three games.

Perhaps facing the Panthers (4-7-1) will help after Carolina
beat Florida 7-2 last month for its only regulation win.

"We'll take a 7-2, don't get me wrong, but what we need is a
grind win and a tight game at the end where we come out on top
because we did the same things over and over again with great
speed and great confidence," Maurice told the Hurricanes'
official Web site.

The Panthers are certainly feeling more confident after winning
on the road on consecutive nights over the weekend, including an
impressive 4-0 victory over St. Louis on Saturday. They had lost
eight of their previous nine.

"We came out with a conscious effort to make good decisions with
the puck and be patient and have some composure," coach Peter
DeBoer said. "I think we did all those things."

Perhaps most promising was that Tomas Vokoun stopped 34 shots
for his first shutout of the season on the heels of a sluggish
start. Playing behind a defense that had allowed an average of
36.6 shots through his first nine appearances, Vokoun had a 3.65
goals-against average entering Saturday's game.

The Hurricanes chased Vokoun last month after scoring five goals
on 26 shots, but the veteran is 4-1-2 with a 2.54 GAA when
facing Carolina at home since he joined the Panthers.

Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward has won four of his six starts at
Florida.