Rick DiPietro plans to return to the ice on Sunday after missing the past four games with a groin strain, according to a Friday report in Newsday.

The Hurricanes have recalled Keith Aucoin and Ryan Bayda on an emergency basis from Albany of the American Hockey League.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Trevor Letowski was carried off the ice on a stretcher after apparently being knocked unconscious by a hit from Pittsburgh's Colby Armstrong in the first period Saturday night.

A day after Joe Nieuwendyk helped Florida win its season opener by scoring twice, coach Jacques Martin confirmed Nieuwendyk contemplated retirement at the end of last season.

Zach Parise scored twice and Brian Gionta had three assists to lead the New Jersey Devils past the Hurricanes 4-0 on Friday night, sending the champs to a second straight home loss to open the season.

Daniel Briere scored the only goal in a shootout and Ryan Miller stopped Carolina cold to give the Buffalo Sabres a 3-2 victory over the Stanley Cup-champion Hurricanes on Wednesday night in a season-opening rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference finals.

The Carolina Hurricanes will kick off the league's 89th season in style when they raise their Stanley Cup championship banner prior to squaring off against the Buffalo Sabres.