Silfverberg, Kesler leads Ducks over 'Canes
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Jakob Silfverberg scored goals 3:07 apart in the middle of the second period as the Anaheim Ducks defeated the reeling Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 Thursday night at PNC Arena.
Silfverberg also assisted on Ryan Kesler's fifth of the season 4:46 into the second as well as his empty-netter late as the Ducks (7-5-3) broke open a scoreless first period with three goals in a span of 7:50 in the second.
The Ducks are starting to find their stride, going 3-0-1 over their last four games, having outscored opponents a combined 15-7.
Meanwhile, Carolina, a franchise that has missed the playoffs seven straight years, fell to 3-6-4 and is the only NHL team with just two regulation wins.
Kesler sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 26 seconds left. Ryan Getzlaf's assist gave him 532, surpassing Teemu Selanne's franchise record.
Silfverberg finished with four points. His first goal of the night came on an easy tap in after a shot from Cam Fowler bounced off the end boards and right to the right wing to the left of Carolina goalie Cam Ward.
Silfverberg worked hard for his fifth of the season 3:07 after his first score of the night, stealing the puck from Carolina's Brett Pesce at his own blue line, and then outmuscling the defenseman down the ice, finding the corner of the net as he was being checked and falling to the ice.
The Hurricanes broke through with 5:02 remaining in the period on a tip in by Teuvo Teravainen, who registered his third of the season.
Carolina cut the score to 3-2 when Victor Rask scored his fifth of the season off a centering pass from Jeff Skinner 3:15 into the third. It was Skinner's team-leading 13th point.
NOTES: Carolina All-Star D Justin Faulk is week to week with an upper-body injury he suffered Tuesday night in New Jersey. ... After playing 10 of their first 13 games on the road, the Hurricanes opened a five-game homestand against the Ducks. ... Former NHL goalie Michael Leighton is off to a hot start for the Hurricanes' AHL affiliate in Charlotte, where he is 5-0 with a 1.41 goals-against average. ... Anaheim LW Andrew Cogliano extended his consecutive games streak to 719, 18 shy of tying Jay Bouwmeester for fifth longest all time. Doug Jarvis logged 964 straight games from October 1975 to October 1987. Cogliano has never missed a game in his NHL career.