RALEIGH, N.C. - The Hurricanes, as is custom, have hit the ice first at the RBC Centre. The home team always goes first for the morning skate on a game day.

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The Canes have an excuse for their slow start to the season that leaves them tied with the Maple Leafs for the fewest number of points in the NHL: injuries.

Eric Staal, Cam Ward, Joni Pitkanen, Scott Walker and now Michael Leighton.

Staal, their star centre, may return next week. Ward, their all-star goalie, is targeting Dec. 5 to return.

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Leafs GM Brian Burke is again telling those who'll listen that he's ready to send underachieving players to the minors.

Believe it when you see it.

So far only rookie Viktor Stalberg has been sent down, while others have been up and down, like Tyler Bozak, Joey MacDonald and Jiri Tlusty.

There is no shortage of vets who are underachieving (Jason Blake and Mikhail Grabovsky to name two).

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Okay, so here's the quote from a player on a last-place team. Figure out if a Leaf or a Cane said it:

"Our efforts have been good, we're just finding weird ways to not pull it out. We've got to change our luck a little bit and just keep working and do the same things you have to do in this league, whether you win 10 in a row or lose 10 in a row. You have to come prepared and give it your best."

Won't keep you in suspense. It was the Canes' Rod Brind'Amour.

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The Leafs have a game in hand on the Canes, meaning they're officially 29th. The tie on 11 points will change tonight.

Some stats to consider:

RW Phil Kessel is on a six-game points streak

Toronto has allowed 24 first-period goals, most in the NHL

The Canes (75) and the Leafs (71) are the only teams to have allowed more than 70 goals so far this season

Carolina's Brandon Sutter has five points in three games