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Ward, Hurricanes stymie Rangers

Jan 21, 2011 - 3:48 AM Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - Cam Ward made 39 saves and the Carolina Hurricanes snapped a two-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers.

Chad LaRose, Jussi Jokinen, Brandon Sutter and Jeff Skinner scored for the Hurricanes, with LaRose and Skinner adding assists in the win.

Ward stopped all 25 shots he faced in the first two periods and didn't give up a goal until Brandon Prust beat him on a wrist shot with 8:20 left in the game.

"He's our wall back there. A lot of times when we make mistakes, he bails us out and they don't get noticed as much," said LaRose.

Meanwhile, New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist allowed four goals on 39 shots and the Rangers lost for the fourth time in six games.

New York was coming off a 7-0 win over Toronto on Wednesday -- a rout buoyed by Marian Gaborik's four goals -- but couldn't sustain the momentum against Carolina.

"It's tough to lose this one," said Lundqvist.

The Hurricanes jumped out to a 3-0 lead, getting on the board early with first period goals from LaRose and Jokinen and a second period tally from Sutter.

LaRose was credited with the first goal at 5:39 after Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello swept the puck into his own net as he tried to clear it from the goal line.

Jokinen scored on a power play with 5:17 left in the period, deflecting Joe Corvo's slap shot from just inside the blue line.

Sutter made it a 3-0 game 5:41 into the second period when he got behind the defense on a rush, deked to his backhand and slipped the puck Lundqvist.

The Rangers avoided being shutout when Prust netted his wrister from the slot at 11:40 of the third period.

But Skinner restored Carolina's three-goal lead a few minutes later, the recipient of a pass in front of the net after a rush he started at the other end.

Game Notes

Tuomo Ruutu had an assist on Carolina's first two goals...The Hurricanes went 1-for-2 on the power play, while the Rangers were scoreless on their two chances with the man advantage.