Hurricanes 5, Sabres 2
Jiri Tlusty scored on the power play to ignite a three-goal spurt in a span of 79 seconds during the second period to power host Carolina in a matchup of the league's two lowest-scoring teams.
Captain Eric Staal scored for the fifth time in six games while Jeff Skinner and Victor Rask also tallied in a four-goal second period as the Hurricanes amassed their highest output since a 6-4 win over Dallas on Nov. 18. Riley Nash added a goal, Tlusty notched an assist and defensemen Justin Faulk and Ryan Murphy each set up a pair of tallies to back Cam Ward (18 saves) as Carolina won for the third time in four games.
Rookie Philip Varone scored both goals in his second game of the season as Buffalo skidded to its sixth consecutive defeat. Jhonas Enroth turned aside 26 shots in dropping his fourth straight start.
After Varone slipped a backhander by Ward at 5:51 of the second to counter Skinner's goal 59 seconds earlier, the Hurricanes blitzed the Sabres with three quick tallies. Tlusty went to one knee while burying a shot from the slot at 13:50 before Staal's pass from behind the net banked off the skate of Buffalo defenseman Mike Weber and in.
Blue-liner Ron Hainsey's point shot was deflected by Rask with 4:51 left in the session, but Varone cut the deficit to 4-2 at 8:17 of the third by tipping in defenseman Tyson Strachan's shot. Nash answered less than two minutes later, converting a rebound in front.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Tlusty ended an 11-game goal-scoring drought with his first tally since scoring twice on Nov. 28. ... Sabres F Drew Stafford, who missed the previous game to be with his wife for the birth of their first child, could not make it to Carolina due to travel issues. ... Hurricanes RW Alexander Semin was back in the lineup after missing seven games due to injury and illness and set up Skinner's goal. D John-Michael Liles also returned after sitting out five contests due to the flu.