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Cullen, Hurricanes defeat Panthers

Nov 4, 2007 - 3:02 AM RALEIGH, North Carolina (Ticker) -- For Matt Cullen and the Carolina Hurricanes, revenge was sweetest when served quickly.

Cullen scored a power-play goal and assisted on another as the Hurricanes posted a 4-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

Chad LaRose and Trevor Letowski each had second-period tallies and Jeff Hamilton set up two goals for Carolina, which rebounded from a loss to the Panthers on Wednesday.

"They were better than us tonight, as much as we were the better team on Wednesday," Panthers coach Jacques Martin said. "Tonight, they deserved to win."

In that contest, the Hurricanes led by one entering the final period but surrendered four goals in the session to suffer their first loss to the Panthers in eight games.

Cullen tried to erase that bad memory in a hurry.

With Carolina on a man advantage in the first period, Hamilton rifled a shot from the point that bounced off Tomas Vokoun. Lurking nearby, Cullen swatted the rebound past the netminder at 8:34 to give Carolina a 1-0 lead.

"We were all upset and angry about the way that we performed (in the last game)," Cullen said. "It's not often that you have the luxury of going right back at the team that just beat you. So certainly we wanted to prove something, but ultimately, it's a division game and we need those points, so it was big in that way, too."

Cullen, who was part of Carolina's 2006 Stanley Cup championship team, was re-acquired in an offseason trade with the New York Rangers. He has recorded nine of his 15 points this season via the man advantage.

The teams exchanged goals in a span of less than two minutes in the second session.

Shortly after LaRose stole the puck in the offensive zone, he received a pass from Rod Brind'Amour and blasted a shot past Vokoun at 6:24 to make it 2-0. However, Panthers captain Olli Jokinen fed streaking defenseman Jay Bouwmeester from behind the Hurricanes' net for his second tally of the season at 7:59, reducing the deficit to one goal.

But just 19 seconds later, Letowski batted a rebound out of the air and past Vokoun to restore Carolina's two-goal advantage.

"We definitely came out with a purpose," Hurricanes goaltender John Grahame said. "It was one of those things that we stressed in the last couple of days of practice. We wanted to be intense, and I think that showed from the get-go. The way things ended the other night, everybody had their own opinion of what happened, so we wanted to play well."

Richard Zednik scored on a breakaway for the Panthers with 2:19 remaining in the period to extend his goal-scoring streak to three games and again draw Florida within one. But with 8:53 left in the third and Carolina on the power play, Cullen whistled a shot from the point that just deflected in off the skate of Cory Stillman to make it 4-2.

"That was the difference in the other game - we couldn't get one and they did," Brind'Amour said. "Tonight, our power play was looking pretty good. Really, we could have had a few more. In today's game, it always seems to come down to special teams."

Carolina was 2-for-4 on the power play, while Florida went 0-for-2. The Hurricanes also outshot the Panthers, 40-24, including a 10-4 advantage in the final session.

Grahame stopped 22 shots for the Hurricanes, who have won 11 straight here against Florida.

"We sit back (on the road)," Panthers center Stephen Weiss said. "When we're at home, we go at them. We talk about (it), but we just don't do it."

Vokoun made 36 saves for the Panthers, who have not won here since December 6, 2002.

"We have to put forth a better effort," Vokoun said. "There are some guys who are putting forth a good effort, and there are some who are not. We're not the kind of team that can play on 10 or 15 players."