Music: {allcanada} Hurricanes defeat Maple Leafs to end two streaks

Thursday, December 18, 2014

{allcanada} Hurricanes defeat Maple Leafs to end two streaks

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RALEIGH, N.C. -- Chris Terry and Justin Faulk scored first-period goals, goaltender Cam Ward made 25 saves, and the Carolina Hurricanes snapped a six-game losing streak with a 4-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at PNC Arena on Thursday.

The Maple Leafs (19-10-3) had a six-game winning streak end.

Nathan Gerbe, Andrej Sekera, Eric Staal and Faulk each had two points for Carolina (9-19-3).

The Hurricanes controlled the first period before scoring the opening goal of the game. Staal worked the puck from behind the Toronto net to the left faceoff circle, where he passed to Terry at the top of the crease for his fifth goal of the season at 11:54. Gerbe set up Staal by cycling the puck in the corner to earn the second assist.

With Zach Boychuk in the box for interference, the Hurricanes scored shorthanded for a 2-0 lead at 13:43. Patrick Dwyer raced up the ice on a 2-on-1 and delivered a perfect pass to Faulk, who finished from the right circle for the defenseman's second shorthanded goal of the season.

Despite two power-play opportunities, the Maple Leafs could not find any offensive rhythm in the first period. Carolina outshot Toronto 17-9.

Carolina continued to push in the second period, with Jay McClement and Riley Nash getting backdoor scoring chances. But the Maple Leafs began to sustain some offensive pressure midway through the period before cutting Carolina's lead to 2-1 with 3:05 remaining. With David Clarkson and Daniel Winnik providing traffic in front of the net, Dion Phaneuf's slap shot beat Ward for his second of the season. Peter Holland set up the goal with a cross-ice pass to Phaneuf.

The Hurricanes extended the lead to 3-1 on Andrej Sekera's first goal of the season 11:05 into the third period. On an abbreviated power play, Sekera patiently held the puck before sending a wrist shot high over Jonathan Bernier's glove.

Carolina's Elias Lindholm scored into the empty net with 1:24 remaining.

Before the game, the Hurricanes traded defenseman Jay Harrison to the Winnipeg Jets for a sixth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. Harrison played 317 games over six seasons for Carolina.

Good Luck Charlie, It's Christmas!