The Carolina Hurricanes beat Buffalo for the 9th consecutive time.
By Kurt Dusterberg / NHL.com Correspondent
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes moved within two points of third place in the Metropolitan Division with a 4-2 win against the Buffalo Sabres at PNC Arena on Saturday.
Curtis McElhinney made 35 saves for the Hurricanes (39-25-7), who hold the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference and trail the Pittsburgh Penguins by two points in the division.
The Hurricanes, who are 8-2-1 in their past 11 games, have won 9 in a row against the Sabres.
Jeff Skinner scored for the first time in 14 games for the Sabres (30-32-9), who had been shut out in their 3 previous games. Buffalo has lost 7 in a row and is 2-11-2 in the past 15 games. Linus Ullmark made 25 saves.
Skinner made it 1-0 at 2:18 of the first period when he brought the puck from behind the net and tucked it between McElhinney’s legs. Skinner’s 37th goal tied his NHL career-high, set with Carolina two seasons ago.
Lucas Wallmark tied it 1-1 at 13:52. After Jordan Martinook’s shot trickled through Ullmark’s pads, Wallmark moved into the crease to tap in the loose puck.
Carolina took a 2-1 lead at 1:07 of the second period when Andrei Svechnikov scored off a cross-ice pass from Teuvo Teravainen.
Justin Williams’ shot from the left-side boards scored inside the left post to give the Hurricanes a 3-1 lead at 17:09.
Jordan Staal’s backhand from between the face-off circles made it 4-1 at 15:46 of the third period and gave him 500 NHL points (213 goals, 287 assists in 882 games).
Zemgus Girgensons scored from above the right circle with 1:01 remaining to make it 4-2.
In his first game back off his 2-game suspension, Sabres captain Jack Eichel had 6 shots on goal.