Hurricanes 2, Panthers 1
Cory Stillman recorded a goal and an assist against his old team as the host Carolina Hurricanes edged the new-look Florida Panthers, 2-1, on Tuesday.
Eric Staal added a power-play goal and Cam Ward made 41 saves for the Hurricanes, who maintained their grip on the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference.
Stillman, who was traded by the Panthers last week as part of a series of deals that remade the Florida roster and trimmed the club’s payroll responsibilities for next season down to $18 million, victimized his old team at the 5:25 mark of the first period. Stillman, screening Panthers goalie Scott Clemmensen, tipped in Erik Cole’s shot for a 1-0 edge.
Staal struck at the 14:55 mark of the first, taking advantage of a holding penalty by accepting a pass from Stillman and wristing his 28th goal past Clemmensen.
Stephen Weiss, one of the few veterans remaining on Florida’s roster after Monday’s purge, cut it to 2-1 with his 17th goal in the second period but the Panthers could not figure out a way to beat Ward again despite peppering the All-Star netminder with 18 shots in the third.