Music: {allcanada} Jordan and Eric Staal lifts Canes over Maple Leafs

Monday, February 4, 2013

{allcanada} Jordan and Eric Staal lifts Canes over Maple Leafs

TORONTO (AP) -- Jordan Staal scored his first goal with the Hurricanes, and his brother Eric added the winner in Carolina's 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday night.

Jeff Skinner had three assists, Patrick Dwyer added a goal and an assist, and Justin Faulk also scored for Carolina. Cam Ward backed up the offense with a 41-save performance.

Matt Frattin scored the only goal for the Maple Leafs. James Reimer made 35 saves.

Trailing 1-0 after the first period, the Hurricanes tied it 1:21 into the second. After Skinner beat out an icing call, Dwyer fed Jordan Staal, who was alone in front, for his first goal with the Hurricanes since being acquired from Pittsburgh in June. Staal also assisted on Dwyer's third-period goal.

Eric Staal then hit the post with a drive a few minutes later. The Hurricanes rebounded from a sluggish opening period to grab momentum with the first nine shots of the second.

The Hurricanes captain had better luck with his next chance, giving Carolina (4-4) the lead with his seventh goal of the season at 10:21 on the power play.

With Toronto's Jay McClement serving a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct after giving Ward a snow shower, Eric Staal skated out from the corner and sent a cross-crease pass that deflected in off defenseman Mike Kostka.

The Maple Leafs (4-5) thought they had tied it with 1:16 left in the second when Kostka's shot from the point deflected in off Tyler Bozak. But after a video review, officials ruled the Toronto center kicked the puck in past Ward.

The home crowd was further incensed when the Maple Leafs were assessed back-to-back penalties to close out the period.

With Carolina on a 5-on-3 man advantage to start the third, Faulk finished off a pretty tic-tac-toe passing play 43 seconds in with a goal that also went to a video review.

Toronto's Phil Kessel, who has no goals through the first nine games of the season, had a great chance to net his first during a power play but he was denied by Ward with just over 13 minutes remaining.

The Maple Leafs continued to press, but Ward stopped Nazem Kadri and Bozak to maintain the Hurricanes' two-goal edge. Carolina put the game out of reach when Dwyer beat Reimer with a quick shot at 9:58.

Frattin opened the scoring 5:44 into the game. Kadri carried the puck over the blue line on a 2-on-1. After fanning on his first attempt, he fired a weak shot that Ward kicked into the slot.

Frattin pounced on the rebound and scored his fifth goal in six games since being recalled from Toronto of the AHL.

Frattin has made the most of his opportunity on a line with Kadri and Leo Komorav.

NOTES: Kadri was hurt after blocking a shot in front of Reimer in the first period but didn't miss a shift. ... Referee Marc Joannette was hit by a clearing shot from Maple Leafs D Dion Phaneuf in the second period. He received attention from the Maple Leafs training staff and returned later in the period. ... The Maple Leafs open a three-game road trip on Tuesday in Washington. ... The Hurricanes visit Ottawa on Thursday.