Staal, Faulk score in 3rd, lead Hurricanes past Devils 3-1
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) The New Jersey Devils started fast - and the Carolina Hurricanes ended with a victory.
Eric Staal and Justin Faulk scored in the third period, leading the Hurricanes past the Devils 3-1 on Saturday night.
''We got better as the game went on,'' Staal said. ''It can be frustrating to play against this team. I thought we stuck with it. It was nice to score early in the third and take the wind out of their sails.''
Patrik Elias gave New Jersey a 1-0 lead midway through the first period, but the Hurricanes tied it late in the second. Chris Terry scored on a rising shot from inside the right circle that caught the upper far corner. It came with 1:27 left in the period and was Terry's ninth goal of the season.
''It was a bang-bang play,'' Terry said. ''I took it off my skate and it was in a spot where I've had a lot of practice.''
It was the start of a bad stretch for Devils goalie Keith Kincaid.
''At the end of the second, that's one that I want to play different,'' said Kincaid, who finished with 29 saves on 32 shots. ''They came out strong and they put pucks on net. I know I can play better, in the third, for sure.''
Staal's goal 9 seconds into the third period gave Carolina the lead, and Faulk's with 15 minutes left ensured the Hurricanes' their second straight win a home.
Cam Ward finished with 21 saves for Carolina, earning his second straight win after missing the previous five with the stomach flu. He improved to 20-21-5 overall.
Moments after the Devils had a goal waved off, Elias scored on a tip-in from the top of the crease at 11:03 of the first period. The play was started because of a nifty play by Mike Cammalleri, who knocked down the puck near the blue line and sent it toward the goal.
Staal's goal, his 21st, gave the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead and was 1 second off the team record for a goal to start the third period. He gathered in a rebound from Ryan Murphy's shot and flicked it into the goal.
Faulk's goal came off a hard slap shot from the point at 4:58.
New Jersey lost its fourth straight, which includes an overtime decision against Washington in its previous game.
NOTES: Devils RW Jordin Tootoo played his 600th NHL game. ... Both teams wrap up back-to-back games on Sunday as Carolina hosts Boston while New Jersey returns to home to play Anaheim. ... Cammalleri picked up his 13th assist to give him 38 points on the season, which is second on the Devils.
