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Staal brothers, Ward star as Hurricanes blow past Leafs

Feb 5, 2013 - 5:16 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Jordan Staal and Patrick Dwyer each recorded a goal and an assist, while Cam Ward stopped 41 shots as the Carolina Hurricanes topped Toronto, 4-1, at Air Canada Centre.

Eric Staal and Justin Faulk also tallied, while Jeff Skinner posted three assists for the Hurricanes, who have won four of their last six.

Matt Frattin supplied the only offense for the Maple Leafs, losers in two straight and four of six. James Reimer made 35 saves in defeat.

"We got ourselves behind the eight-ball, focusing on things other than how we were playing, and as a result, we couldn't be as effective as we should have been," Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle admitted.

Jordan Staal's first of the season and first with the Hurricanes, a backhander from atop the crease, evened the score at the 1:21 mark of the second period.

"It was nice to get that first one out of the way to get us all going," said the younger Staal. "Hopefully there will be many more after that."

Carolina then took a 2-1 lead when older brother Eric managed to slide a pass intended for Faulk off a Leafs defender's skate and into the net on a power play just after the midway point of regulation.

Late in the second, Tyler Bozak had a potential tying goal taken off the board when a replay determined he directed the puck with a kicking motion.

I think, from the determination of the video, it looked like he kicked the puck," said Carlyle. "I don't think he meant to do it. It came so quickly to the front of the net, bouncing off his pads and he couldn't stop it."

Faulk's shot with just 43 seconds played in the third period deflected off the back of Reimer's left foot and barely slid over the goal line to give Carolina a 3-1 lead during a 5-on-3 advantage.

Dwyer made it a three-goal bulge two seconds shy of the mid-point of the final stanza on a shot from the high slot to put the game away.

Toronto took its lone lead of the contest with 5:44 played in the opening period. Nazem Kadri and Frattin broke out in a 2-on-1, and after the former fanned on his pass from the left wing, then shoveled a shot to the net, the latter poked home the rebound.

Game Notes

Carolina won three of four from Toronto last season ... Monday's contest marked the first time that siblings scored in the same game for the Whalers/Hurricanes since Apr. 5, 1986 (Dave & Wayne Babych) in Hartford's 7-1 win over Toronto ... Skinner's last three-assist performance occurred on Oct. 8, 2011.