Nathan Beaulieu and Zemgus Girgensons score for Buffalo in the 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes.
By Kurt Dusterberg / NHL.com Correspondent
RALEIGH, N.C. — Justin Faulk scored two goals and Cam Ward made 20 saves to lift the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres at PNC Arena on Saturday.
Ward improved to 7-0-1 in his past nine games and Teuvo Teravainen had three assists for Carolina (16-12-7), which has won five of its past six games (5-1-0).
Nathan Beaulieu and Zemgus Girgensons scored for the Sabres (9-20-7), who began a stretch of seven straight games away from Buffalo.
Chad Johnson made 24 saves for Buffalo.
The Hurricanes scored on the first shift of the game. Carolina controlled the puck in the offensive zone and Sebastian Aho spun in the slot and scored on a shot off defenseman Zach Bogosian for a 1-0 lead at 33 seconds.
Carolina extended the lead to 2-0 to on a 5-on-3 at 1:53 of the second period. Elias Lindholm made a pass across the slot that deflected in off Jordan Staal’s skate for his 10th of the season.
Beaulieu made it 2-1 on a back-door tap in from Johan Larsson at 2:44 for his first goal of the season.
Faulk took a pass from Aho and finished a 2-on-1 at 4:35 for a 3-1 lead, ending a 24-game scoring drought.
Faulk scored at 11:16 when his shot from above the right face-off circle beat Johnson below the crossbar.
Girgensons made it 4-2 at 13:41 after Jack Eichel won a faceoff, then fed him at the top of the crease.
Ryan O’Reilly, the Sabres third-leading scorer (23 points), did not play (personal).