Hurricanes end 5-game skid with 3-0 win over Senators

RALEIGH, N.C. _ The Carolina Hurricanes scored some goals, managed the puck well and got good goaltending Friday.

And won a game.

Jordan Staal had a goal and an assist, and Elias Lindholm and Viktor Stalberg scored as the Canes topped the Ottawa Senators, 3-0, at PNC Arena, ending a five-game winless streak.

Eddie Lack was the big man in net for the Canes. The goalie has missed much of the season as he recovered from concussions and Cam Ward got the workload, but Lack was given the start Friday and responded with his best performance of the season.

Lack had 34 saves in earning his second win of the season and first since Oct. 20 against Calgary. It was his eighth career shutout.

The Canes (25-24-8) had scored just four goals in their 0-4-1 slide, but Staal beat Sens goalie Craig Anderson with a wraparound 1:19 into the game. Lindholm and Stalberg then scored in the second period for a 3-0 lead _ for Carolina, three even-strength goals.

The Canes were playing their first game since the Thursday trade that sent veteran defenseman Ron Hainsey to the Pittsburgh Penguins. That was a jolt to the players and a signal from management that changes were being made, but the Canes adjusted and moved on.

Jaccob Slavin and Justin Faulk became the Canes' top defensive pair. Noah Hanifin was moved up to the second pairing with Brett Pesce, and Ryan Murphy played his 12th game of the season _ and first since Jan. 21 _ with Klas Dahlbeck.

Canes forward Brock McGinn left the game in the second period with an injury but the Canes adjusted. Lindholm was moved onto Staal's line to replace McGinn, and Stalberg moved up to take Lindholm's place on the Victor Rask line with Sebastian Aho.

Phil Di Giuseppe assisted on the first two Canes scores and Rask earned an assist on the Stalberg goal, ending a 14-game point-less streak that had frustrated the Swedish center.

Ottawa (32-21-6) was without injured forwards Mark Stone (neck) and Mike Hoffman (groin), who have combined for 41 goals this season. Also missing was Bobby Ryan, who is on injured reserve and missed his third game.

Staal's goal came after Di Giuseppe knocked defenseman Codi Ceci off the puck behind the Sens net. Staal took it from there, beating defenseman Dion Phaneuf on the wraparound move and then having a few words with Phaneuf, an old protagonist.

Lindholm scored after Staal won a face-off in the Ottawa zone, taking a pass from Di Giuseppe and rising a shot past Anderson. Stalberg's goal came on a good setup pass from Aho.

The Sens, outshot 19-7 in the first period, had the shooting edge in the second period and pressed. Lack allowed some rebounds early and got an assist from Faulk in the third _ Faulk blocking a shot in the crease with his knees _ but got the job done for the Canes.

Anderson was the winning goalie twice this season against Carolina, both in 2-1 victories. This time, Lack had the edge.