(My Sportsbook) - Jose Theodore will likely have revenge on his mind when he faces the Carolina Hurricanes Friday night.

Theodore hopes to avoid a repeat of his last outing against Carolina. In Game 6 of last season's playoff set, he was torched for five goals on 13 shots in an 8-2 series-clinching loss. The Canes, after falling behind two games to one, won that set on their way to a surprising berth in the Stanley Cup Finals, where they eventually fell to Detroit.

Theodore will try to get his game back in order after a horrid month of October as well. The reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner went 1-3-1 with a 4.40 GAA and .833 SP in the opening month, and has been rescued by the play of backup Jeff Hackett in his place.

"I'm anxious to play and happy that I have the chance to play [Friday]," Theodore told the Montreal Gazette. "It's fun to practice, but it's not like being in a game. You want to have that feeling after a game that you've played well -- had a big game. Nothing can beat that feeling.

"All that other stuff is behind me. I'm happy to be back in the net with a chance to start showing everybody that the last couple of games I played are over and that it's time to move on."

Hackett has started the last two games, including a 2-2 home tie with Anaheim on Tuesday. He made 31 saves to move Montreal to 1-1-3 in its last five tilts, but allowed the equalizer to the Ducks' Keith Carney with 4:52 left in regulation.

The Hurricanes will try to extend their unbeaten streak to four games against the Canadiens. They are 2-0-1 in their last three tilts, and 4-1-1 in the last six. On Wednesday night they opened a nine-game homestand with a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders.

Sami Kapanen, Jeff O'Neill and Niclas Wallin scored second-period goals as the Canes climbed out of a 2-0 hole. Rod Brind'Amour added an empty-netter in the third for good measure.

Goaltender Kevin Weekes, meanwhile, improved to 4-0-1 in his last five starts with a 31-save effort. Weekes is 5-2-1 with a 1.93 goals-against average and .939 save-percentage, and seems to have wrestled away the starting job from Arturs Irbe. Irbe is 0-3-0 with a 4.35 GAA and .833 SP, and hasn't seen any action since a 4-1 loss to Ottawa on October 23.

O'Neill extended his career-long -- and current NHL best -- points streak to 10 games. The hard-nosed winger has four goals and nine assists during the tear.

Montreal and Carolina went 1-1-2 against one another last regular season, and the Canadiens are 7-2-2 in the last 11 meetings overall. The Habs are 3-0-2 in their last five trips to Carolina.

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The Habs begin a brief road set Friday, and will visit Toronto on Saturday.