Hurricanes 2 - 3 Blues
Final - OT
  for this game

Streaking 'Canes visit Blues

Oct 21, 2011 - 3:10 PM (Sports Network) - A pair of victories over the defending Stanley Cup champions have the Hurricanes back on track. Carolina takes aim at its first four-game winning streak since last December this evening against the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center.

The Hurricanes' stumbled out of the gate with three straight losses, picking up just one point in that span with an overtime loss in Washington on Oct. 8. Carolina finally found the win column with a one-goal victory over Boston on Oct. 12, the start of its current three-game win streak.

The 'Canes visited the Bruins on Tuesday and came away with a 4-1 win thanks to key back-to-back power-play goals late in regulation. Both tallies came on 5-on-3 advantages, with Eric Staal and Tuomo Ruutu lighting the lamp.

Joni Pitkanen added a goal and two assists and Anthony Stewart also scored for the Hurricanes, who haven't won four straight since Dec. 15-18.

Cam Ward stopped 33-of-34 shots for the win.

"I think any time you face the Boston Bruins, it's a difficult night," Ward admitted. "It never comes easy. They have the passionate fans behind them, but we played the way we wanted to play and it worked out for us."

Carolina plays the third of four straight on the road as it wraps its swing on Saturday in Winnipeg. St. Louis is returning home for a game following a 1-3-0 swing, but hits the road again for another four in a row following tonight's tilt.

The Blues capped their first swing of the season with a 5-0 defeat in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Jaroslav Halak allowed four goals on 18 shots before being pulled in the third period. Brian Elliott stopped 5-of-6 shots in relief.

"We got outplayed today in most categories," Blues forward Matt D'Agostini said. "We couldn't match their intensity."

The Blues went 0-for-4 on the power play and are just 1-for-24 on the man advantage this season

Tonight will mark the first time St. Louis' Chris Stewart will face off against his brother Anthony in the NHL.

"It's a big day for our family. They're going to be watching," Anthony told NHL.com. "They're not going to make it in, but they're definitely excited and the buddies back home are texting us asking if we're going to fight. We'll be fighting on the score sheet. That's probably about it."

The Hurricanes claimed a 2-1 shootout win over the Blues on the road in the only meeting last year, with Jussi Jokinen potting the only goal in the breakaway session. It was Carolina's third victory in the past four meetings and it has captured the last two played in St. Louis.






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