By JOEDY McCREARY
Associated Press
RALEIGH,
N.C. (AP) — Even though the losses mounted early this season for the
Carolina Hurricanes, Derek Ryan insists the pressure hasn’t.
Ryan
scored the go-ahead goal at 9:35 of the third period and the Hurricanes
beat the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Tuesday night to snap a four-game
losing streak.
Brock McGinn also scored, Justin Williams added an
empty-netter and rookie Roland McKeown had his first two assists for
the Hurricanes, who went 1-4-2 in their previous seven games while
slipping into last place in the Metropolitan Division.
Carolina
continued to pepper the net with shots, putting up 48 against Florida
after generating 60 in a loss five nights earlier at Colorado.
The Hurricanes figure they just need more of them to find a way past those goalies.
“I
don’t think we had a lot of pressure. I don’t feel like we’ve been
outplayed in many games this year, especially lately, the last couple of
games,” Ryan said. “If we continue to play like that — we’re getting
tons of shots ... I think we’re going to score goals and have success.”
Vincent
Trocheck scored for the Panthers, who are 0-3-2 in their last five
games, and Roberto Luongo made 45 saves in his second game back from a
hand injury.
“We had a missed assignment off a faceoff, and
that’s the difference in the game,” Florida coach Bob Boughner said.
“It’s tough. It’s frustrating right now — I’m frustrated, the staff is,
the players are — but it wasn’t for a lack of effort. I just think we
should have started earlier.”
Scott Darling stopped 30 shots for Carolina.
Ryan’s
go-ahead goal came off a draw, with Luongo deflecting Williams’
long-range shot high. Ryan batted it out of the air and into the net for
his third goal. Williams added his empty-net goal with 1:14 remaining.
The
Hurricanes entered with one of the NHL’s worst offenses, ranking 30th
in the league with 31 goals and 27th with a 2.58 scoring average.
“There’s
no need to panic, but it’s time” to take a step forward, coach Bill
Peters said. “It’s a race to three (goals). You’ve got to get to three,
at least in this league. We check properly, and defend properly and get
our (penalty kill) going, three’s enough to win. Now do I want to get
more than three? Yes, I do.”
Florida’s defense hadn’t been any
better, giving up a league-worst 4.23 goals per game and allowing 20 of
them in its last three — with at least five goals surrendered in each, a
reason why the Panthers entered tied with Buffalo with an Eastern
Conference-worst 10 points.
For much of this one, Luongo was the story.
After
he spent the first 30-plus minutes stopping every puck the Hurricanes
threw his way — including several in spectacular fashion, and several
against Jeff Skinner — McGinn finally broke through with 7:43 left in
the second, stuffing a rebound past the Florida goalie to make it 1-0.
This
game was special for the McGinn family, the first NHL matchup between
Carolina’s McGinn and his big brother Jamie, a veteran winger for the
Panthers — and Jamie was on the ice for his younger brother’s second
goal of the season.
The Panthers tied it 1:49 later on their first power-play chance of the night, when Trocheck beat Darling with a wrist shot.
“We couldn’t find that next goal,” Boughner said.
NOTES:
Luongo played in his 972nd game, moving into sole possession of third
place on the NHL’s career list among goalies. Patrick Roy is next with
1,029. ... Trocheck has goals in three straight games. ... Luongo had
the secondary assist on the Panthers’ goal, his 21st career point. ...
Carolina was without D Brett Pesce (concussion) for a third straight
game.
UP NEXT
Panthers: Visit the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night in a matchup of the two worst teams in the Atlantic Division.
Hurricanes: At the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night.
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