Blue Jackets 3, Hurricanes 2
Derek MacKenzie posted his first career two-goal performance and Steve Mason made 29 saves as the Columbus Blue Jackets halted their seven-game losing streak Saturday with a 3-2 road triumph over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Samuel Pahlsson also scored for the Blue Jackets, who stopped a five-game road skid while extending their winning streak against the Hurricanes to four.
Columbus grabbed a 1-0 lead less than five minutes into the contest as Pahlsson buried a rebound from the slot while shorthanded at 4:44. MacKenzie doubled the advantage when he beat All-Star Cam Ward with a slap shot from the left faceoff circle 42 seconds into the middle session for his third goal in four games.
MacKenzie completed his two-goal effort with an empty-netter with 61 seconds remaining in the third.
Rookie Jeff Skinner and Tuomo Ruutu scored while Ward stopped 25 shots for Carolina, which has lost four games in a row and five of seven.