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Penguins surge in third to down Hurricanes

Dec 28, 2011 - 4:12 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - James Neal recorded a goal and one assist as Pittsburgh used a three-goal third period to defeat Carolina, 4-2, at CONSOL Energy Center.

Steve Sullivan, Pascal Dupuis and Jordan Staal lit the lamp in the final 20 minutes for the Penguins, who unloaded 52 shots on the Carolina net and won their fourth straight game.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 16-of-18 shots for the victory.

"When you're controlling the offensive zone like that you're going to get your bounces," Neal said. "We just want to stick with it and we did that. We had some Grade-A chances and finally converted when it counted most."

Tuomo Ruutu and Tim Brent scored for the Hurricanes, whose two-game win streak was halted.

Pressed into service because of games on consecutive nights in two locations, Justin Peters took the loss despite making a career-best 48 saves.

The Pens netted the go-ahead goal thanks to a power play at 1:18 of the third period, as Evgeni Malkin fed Sullivan in the right circle for a one-timer that sailed by Peters to the far side.

It was 3-1 for the hosts only 70 seconds later as Dupuis finished off a 2-on-1 break with a high shot from the left wing, and Staal put Pittsburgh ahead by three scores at 8:05 with a wrister from the left wing.

Ruutu cut the 'Canes' deficit to 4-2 with 5:07 to go, but the visitors got no closer despite a 6-on-4 edge down the stretch after Peters was called to the bench and Neal was sent off for slashing with 2:49 to play.

"We definitely wanted to get more shots," Hurricanes captain Eric Staal said. "I don't think we were totally getting killed every time we were on the ice, but obviously we wanted to generate a little bit more offensively, and we just didn't."

Carolina netted the game's first goal just after the midway point of the first period, as Brent managed to redirect a Tim Gleason shot past Fleury on the right side.

Pittsburgh tied the score at 8:10 of the second period. Kunitz managed to slip his shot from a sharp angle at the right post through Peters' pads and back into the crease, but Carolina defenseman Bryan Allen cleared the puck right off Neal's stick in the slot, and the disc rolled back over the goal line.

Game Notes

The 52 shots were the most for the Pens since a 55-shot outing against the New York Rangers on March 4, 2010...Pittsburgh has won two of three meetings this season over Carolina and has taken five of the last seven overall...Peters' previous career best was a 37-save performance in a 4-3 win over the Penguins on March 11, 2010...Both clubs are in action on Thursday, as the Pens host the Flyers and the Hurricanes host Toronto.