Hurricanes' Jeff Skinner: Scores for fourth straight game

Skinner posted an empty-net goal and an assist in Thursday's 4-1 win over Montreal.

Analysis:

He's found twine in four straight games now, scoring six goals in that span -- just the latest in what's been a solid season for Skinner, who's now exceeded last year's goal and assist totals with 29 and 24, respectively. The seventh overall pick in 2000, Skinner has long seemed destined for stardom, but he's never quite found it, in no small part because he plays for a typically poor Carolina team. He's certainly a productive player, but we're still waiting for Skinner to take that big leap forward; unfortunately, his hot streaks still give way to slumps too often.