Hurricanes hold off Lightning
Carolina has beaten Tampa Bay 8 straight times at home
Last Updated: Saturday, November 21, 2009 | 11:25 PM ET
The Associated Press
Carolina's Brandon Sutter has his shot snared by Tampa Bay goalie Mike Smith in the first period. (Karl B DeBlaker/Associated Press)Tuomo Ruutu and Jussi Jokinen scored second-period goals and Manny Legace made 20 saves to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 on Saturday night.
Chad LaRose added a goal with 4:23 remaining in the game.
"I think this is the closest we've played to 60 minutes all year," Jokinen said.
It was the first time in 15 games Carolina hadn't allowed at least three goals.
"It was just beautiful to watch," Legace said about the Hurricanes' defensive effort. "I had a good front-row seat tonight."
While Carolina remains near the bottom of the NHL standings, the Hurricanes have won three of their last four and have points in their last five games.
Martin St. Louis scored for the Lightning and Mike Smith made 24 saves. Tampa Bay entered the game 4-0-3 in its previous seven.
The winner came late in the second period when Jokinen, stationed in front of the net, tipped Joe Corvo's slow-moving shot through Smith's legs.
"I am a little disappointed in some of the top guys," Tampa Bay head coach Rick Tocchet said. "I think Martin St. Louis played well, but some of our other top guys just didn't show up tonight."
The Hurricanes had tied the score on the power play earlier in the period when Joni Pitkanen made a nice play to keep the puck in at the blue-line. Pitkanen fed Ray Whitney, who sent a perfect cross-ice pass to Ruutu. Ruutu one-timed it past Smith's glove for his ninth point in his last six games.
Tampa Bay opened the scoring late in the first.
With Tom Kostopoulos in the penalty box, Kurtis Foster took a shot from the point that deflected off the stick of Carolina's Matt Cullen. Off-balance, Legace couldn't control the rebound, and the puck dribbled out to St. Louis, who converted from a sharp angle.
Tampa Bay, which played Thursday night in Anaheim before taking a cross-country flight Friday, couldn't muster many scoring chances the rest of the way, allowing the Hurricanes to take control.
"They didn't seem to have the jump they usually have," Corvo said of the way the Lightning played.
Carolina has won eight consecutive games at home against the Lightning.
Pitkanen returned to the lineup after missing two games because of a lower-body injury.
With files from The Associated Press
