NHL-National Hockey League roundup

Jan 4 (The Sports Xchange) - The Carolina Hurricanes recalled goaltender Michael Leighton from the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League.

Leighton, 35, is 2-1-0 with a 3.53 goals-against average and .875 save percentage in three games (two starts) with the Hurricanes this season. The Petrolia, Ontario, native ranks eighth among AHL goalies this season in goals-against average (2.17) and ninth in save percentage (.923), earning an 8-5-2 record for Charlotte.

The 6-foot-3, 186-pound Leighton owns a 37-42-14 record, 2.96 goals-against average and .901 save percentage in 109 career NHL games with Chicago, Nashville, Philadelphia and Carolina. He was drafted by Chicago in the sixth round of the 1999 NHL draft, and signed as a free agent with the Hurricanes on Sept. 7, 2016.

The Hurricanes also reassigned goaltender Daniel Altshuller to their AHL affiliate. Altshuller, 22, served as Carolina's backup goalie in Tuesday night's 3-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils.

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The Tampa Bay Lightning reassigned forward Yanni Gourde to the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League.

Gourde, 25, played in 29 games with Syracuse this season, tallying 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) and 23 penalty minutes. He leads the Crunch for goals, as well as ranking second for points and assists.

The Saint-Narcisse, Quebec, native has no points in two games with the Lightning this season. He has one assist in four career NHL games, all with Tampa Bay.

Gourde was signed as a free agent on March 9, 2014. (Editing by Andrew Both)