National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Carolina 2, Nashville 1
When: 7:00 PM ET, Sunday, January 5, 2014
Where: PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina
Referees: Mike Leggo, Don VanMassenhoven
Linesmen: Derek Amell, Bryan Pancich
Attendance: 13994

Hurricanes 2, Predators 1: Jeff Skinner snapped a tie with 3:31 remaining in the third period as host Carolina posted its season-high fourth straight victory.

Skinner and Alexander Semin each finished with a goal and an assist while Tuomo Ruutu set up both tallies for the Hurricanes, who were without captain Eric Staal due to a lower-body injury. Anton Khudobin turned aside 31 shots to improve to 5-0-0 this season.

Patric Hornqvist scored the lone goal for the Predators, whose four-game point streak came to an end. Carter Hutton finished with 23 saves as Nashville completed an 0-1-2 road trip.

Carolina got on the board 4:28 into the game as Semin grabbed a loose puck behind the net and banked it off Hutton and in at the left post. The goal stood until 6:46 of the third, when Mike Fisher collected the rebound of captain Shea Weber's one-timer in the right corner and dished the puck to Hornqvist, who redirected it past Khudobin at the right post during a power play.

Skinner broke the deadlock late in the session with his sixth goal in four games. Ruutu made a nifty pass from behind the net to Skinner, who beat Hutton from the right faceoff circle for his 20th of the campaign.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Staal sat out the contest after being injured in Saturday's road victory over the New York Islanders. The captain could miss five to six days. ... Fisher's assist extended his point streak to five games. ... The Predators are winless in their last five road games (0-3-2) and have lost eight of 10 overall (2-5-3).
Top Game Performances
 
Nashville   Carolina
Patric Hornqvist 1 Points Alexander Semin 2
Patric Hornqvist 1 Goals Alexander Semin 1
Mike Fisher 1 Assists Tuomo Ruutu 2
Patric Hornqvist 1 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Carter Hutton .920 Save Percentage Anton Khudobin .969
Carter Hutton 23 Saves Anton Khudobin 31
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Nashville 32 1 1-2 2-2 4 27
Carolina 25 2 0-2 1-2 4 28
Upcoming Games
  • Carolina will play their next game on the road against Buffalo. The Hurricanes have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .360 after a loss.
  • Nashville will play their next game at home against San Jose. The Predators have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .360 after a loss.