Skinner's two goals guide Hurricanes by Predators
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Jeff Skinner scored twice and Eddie Lack stopped 27 shots to win consecutive games for the first time this season as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Nashville Predators 4-2 Saturday night.
The Hurricanes (30-27-12) improved to 4-0-2 over their last six games, while the Predators (35-25-11) saw their modest three-game winning streak come to an end.
Lack, playing in just his 14th game as Cam Ward's backup, was coming off a 3-1 victory Thursday night against the Minnesota Wild in which he stopped 31 shots, earning him another start from coach Bill Peters.
His teammates helped him gain some confidence early as Carolina jumped in front 2-0 halfway through the first period, with Jordan Staal getting his 14th and Skinner his team-leading 24th.
Late in the second period after Nashville had pulled to 2-1 Skinner notched his 25th on a rebound in front. It was fifth multi-goal game of the season and 25th of his career, making the 24-year-old youngest player in the league with 20-plus multi-goal games.
Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin assisted on two of the three Carolina goals for six points in his last four games.
Filip Forsberg's scored his 29th goal with the extra attacker with 1:49 remaining and made things interesting down the stretch. But Elias Lindholm extended his point streak to six games with an empty net goal with 25.6 seconds remaining to seal it for Carolina.
Staal's tip-in of a point shot by Slavin 29 seconds into the game was the fastest of the season for Carolina.
Skinner's first goal occurred eight minutes later. Lee Stempniak stole the puck from goaltender Jusse Saros behind the net and centered to Skinner in the left circle, who fired a wrist shot.
Nashville closed to 2-1 less than six minutes into the second period when Lack attempted to make a routine save but deflected the puck into the corner. Viktor Arvidsson's sharp angle rebound shot from the goal line ricocheted off Lack's midsection and into the net for his 26th goal of the season.
NOTES: Carolina G Eddie Lack started consecutive games for just the fourth time this season. ... Predators LW Colin Wilson returned to the lineup after missing one game with a lower body injury. ... LW Jeff Skinner's two goals goal moved him past Sami Kapanen for seventh on the all-time Carolina scoring list with 315 points. ... Skinner also tied Erik Cole for fourth all-time with 168 goals. ... Carolina's previous fastest goal was by D Jaccob Slavin 34 seconds into the game at Ottawa on Nov. 1. ... Nashville LW Viktor Arvidsson's goal extended his points streak to four games.