Hurricanes ward off Blackhawks
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Cam Ward made 27 saves and the Carolina Hurricanes survived another close game, defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Friday night at PNC Arena.
The Hurricanes have played in one-goal results in five of their last six games.
Elias Lindholm, Lee Stempniak and Jay McClement scored for the Hurricanes, who increased their home-ice points streak to 11 consecutive games.
Blackhawks defenseman Michal Kempny's first career goal came in his 25th game of the season.
Vinnie Hinostroza had Chicago's other goal.
Blackhawks goalie Scott Darling stopped 25 shots.
The Hurricanes, who have won four of their last five games, took a two-goal lead less than three minutes into the third period when McClement was left alone in front and unleashed a shot that Darling couldn't stop.
But Hinostroza was credited with a goal with 14:11 remaining to draw the Blackhawks within a goal. Jonathan Toews' shot went off Hinostroza's jersey and the puck went into the net past Ward.
Lindholm departed by the third period with an upper-body injury.
Chicago is 1-3-1 in its last five games.
Carolina led 2-1 after two periods.
Kempny's goal ignited a burst of scoring in about a three-minute span of the first period.
The Hurricanes struck less than two minutes after the opening goal when Lindholm cleaned up from Jordan Staal's rush.
Sixty-five seconds later, Stempniak whacked in a rebound after the puck bounced right to him off Darling's pads. It had been tipped by Carolina's Sebastian Aho, who received the primary assist.
The Hurricanes had a 16-8 edge in first-period shots.
The Blackhawks, who were playing their third game in four nights, responded for a 10-6 advantage in shots during a scoreless second period. Carolina was in its second game in a week.
The game drew an announced attendance of 18,016, the second-largest home crowd for Carolina this season behind the home opener against the New York Rangers.
NOTES: C Andrew Desjardins and D Brian Campbell were back in Chicago's lineup after sitting out Thursday night against Nashville. ... Carolina D Justin Faulk missed his second game in a row with a lower-body injury in what the team has determined is a week-to-week situation. ... Hurricanes LW Teuvo Teravainen played against his former team for the first time. ... The teams meet again next Friday in Chicago. ... The Hurricanes play Saturday night at Tampa Bay. ... The Blackhawks are off until Monday's outdoor game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, where they conclude a three-game road swing.