Skinner scores 2 as 'Canes defeat Sabres
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Jeff Skinner scored two goals in a 55-second span as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 on Friday night at PNC Arena.
Brock McGinn also scored two goals for the Hurricanes, who are 13-1-1 in their last 15 home games. Carolina's Victor Rask had a goal as well.
William Carrier and Brian Gionta scored for Buffalo, which lost all three meetings with Carolina this season.
Goalie Cam Ward made 36 saves in his 18th consecutive start for the Hurricanes (20-15-7), who trailed 1-0 after the first period for the second game in a row. Carolina has won four of its last five games overall.
Skinner has a team-high 17 goals, including four in six games this month. He reached 300 career points with his first goal and later added a third-period assist.
Sabres goalie Anders Nilsson, who played his fourth game this month after playing in a total of three games in December, finished with 33 saves.
Buffalo (16-17-9) has lost on back-to-back nights after a four-game points streak.
The Hurricanes led 3-2 after two periods following an offensive flurry in the second period.
The Sabres scored first when Carrier took a pass from Ryan O'Reilly, who gained possession on Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin's turnover just 4:24 into the game.
The Hurricanes got rolling with three goals in the opening seven minutes of the second period.
The Hurricanes pulled even 1:48 into the period on Skinner's shot from the left side. Nilsson appeared in position to make the stop, but his attempt for a glove save failed.
Skinner came down the right side after collecting the puck at the blue line for his second goal, with the Sabres failing to catch him. This goal came 55 seconds after the first one.
Nilsson stopped Elias Lindholm's shot but failed to control the puck, allowing McGinn to swoop in and a deliver a back-handed shot for the tally. McGinn has scored in consecutive games.
Gionta made it 3-2 on a short-handed goal. Ward's attempt to clear the puck behind the net backfired when Gionta retrieved it and converted before Ward could get back in position.
NOTES: This was the third and final meeting of the season between the teams. The Hurricanes won the first two last month. ... This marked the 600th NHL game, all with Carolina, for G Cam Ward. ... For Sabres D Zach Bogosian, this was his 500th career game. ... Hurricanes D Brett Pesce played despite missing the morning skate with an undisclosed ailment. ... Buffalo G Robin Lehner was scratched for the third game in a row because of illness. ... The Hurricanes are back in action Saturday against the New York Islanders to end a four-game homestand. ... Buffalo play next at home Monday against Dallas.