Hurricanes defeat Panthers, snap four-game slide
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Derek Ryan scored a third-period tiebreaking goal as the Carolina Hurricanes halted a four-game winless streak by defeating the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Tuesday night at PNC Arena.
Brock McGinn also scored for Carolina (5-5-3), which won for only the second time in six home games (2-2-2). Justin Williams added an empty-net goal.
Defenseman Roland McKeown notched two assists for his first NHL points.
Vincent Trocheck scored his team-leading seventh goal for the Panthers (4-8-2), who are winless in five consecutive games (0-3-2).
Hurricanes goalie Scott Darling made 30 saves.
Florida goalie Roberto Luongo stopped 45 shots as he dealt with his biggest workload of the season.
On the go-ahead goal, Ryan won a faceoff and then went to the front of the net where he batted a puck out of the air past Luongo. It was Ryan's first goal on home ice since the season opener.
McGinn broke a scoreless tie with his second goal of the season coming with 7:43 to play in the second period. It was on Carolina's 31st shot of the game.
The secondary assist went to McKeown, playing in his second NHL game, for his first point.
The lead didn't last long, with the Panthers converting less than two minutes later on a power play with Trocheck making an easy deposit of the puck after crossing in front of Darling and taking a pass from Jonathan Huberdeau.
The Hurricanes went on two early power plays and had 10 shots across the first seven minutes, but didn't dent the scoreboard. It was part of a 20-shot period for Carolina, six shy of the team record.
NOTES: Panthers G Roberto Luongo appeared in his franchise-record 500th game. It was his 972nd NHL game overall. ... Brothers LW Jamie McGinn of the Panthers and LW Brock McGinn of the Panthers both played in the game. ... The Panthers recalled C Chase Balisy from Springfield of the American Hockey League. He previously played in three games this season with the Panthers. ... Hurricanes D Brett Pesce was scratched as his return from a concussion sustained last week in practice was delayed. It was his third missed game. ... The Panthers play the middle contest of a three-game road trip Friday night at Buffalo. ... Carolina is back in action Friday night at Columbus.