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Cole's late goal lifts Carolina over Atlanta

Feb 14, 2011 - 12:57 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Erik Cole scored with 1:19 to play to help the Carolina Hurricanes take a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Thrashers at Philips Arena.

It was a big two points for Carolina as both teams came into the contest with 60 points to sit tied for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference, which Carolina now occupies by itself.

Jiri Tlusty and Joe Corvo each had a goal for the Hurricanes, who snapped a three-game slide. Cam Ward made 41 stops to secure the win.

"There's still plenty of hockey left to play and this is just one game," said Ward. "We know it's going to be a tough race right to the finish. That's why you gotta treat every single game like it's Game 7 of the playoffs. Teams are going to be competing."

Andrew Ladd scored both goals while Ondrej Pavelec made just 14 saves for the Thrashers, who have dropped five of their last six.

"It's obviously a tough one because I thought we outplayed them for the majority of the game," said Ladd. "You still gotta bear down when you have the opportunity. There's still plenty of hockey to play, we just have to get back in it."

Since winning the first two games of the new year, Atlanta is just 3-8-4.

Atlanta had tied the game just 26 seconds into the third period when Ladd went in on a breakaway and switched to the backhand before putting the puck into the net.

However, Carolina got the late goal for a 3-2 lead.

Ian White kept the puck in at the right point and got it down to the mid- boards. Sergei Samsonov held the puck there and got a backhand pass off over to Cole, who snapped a wrister into the net from the right circle.

Atlanta got Pavelec out of the net for the extra attacker late in the game, but was unable to even the score.

Tlusty scored 9:06 into the first period to give Carolina a 1-0 lead, but Ladd tied the contest 3:20 into the second when he blocked a shot in his own end, skated the other way on a breakaway and used a low shot to beat Ward.

Carolina, though, took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission as Brandon Sutter used a backhand pass to the slot to get the puck to Corvo, who one- timed the puck home with 1:36 left in the frame.

Game Notes

Carolina plays in New Jersey on Wednesday...Atlanta has off until Thursday when it begins a three-game road trip in Phoenix...Carolina has won all four games with Atlanta this season. This was the first game that ended in regulation...Atlanta was 0-for-2 on the power play while Carolina was 0-for-3.