Hurricanes 3, Panthers 2: Alexander Semin scored twice and Anton Khudobin turned aside 37 shots as Carolina continued its home dominance against Florida.

Riley Nash added a first-period goal for the Hurricanes, who had been blanked in each of their previous two games. Captain Eric Staal added a pair of assists for his first points since Jan. 2.

Marcel Goc and defenseman Dmitry Kulikov responded for the Panthers, who have won just six of their previous 31 visits to Carolina (6-24-1). Tim Thomas turned aside 36 shots in defeat.

After a scoreless first period dominated by the netminders - Thomas and Khudobin combined to make 28 saves - Carolina opened the scoring 3:37 into the middle frame. After Radek Dvorak's initial shot was stopped by Thomas, Nash pounced on the loose puck at the side of the net and swept it in past the fallen netminder.

The Panthers drew even at 15:05, as Jonathan Huberdeau gathered a bouncing puck before centering a pass to Goc for a tap-in from the front edge of the crease. Carolina reclaimed the lead on Semin's snapshot from the top of the right circle 2:31 into the third, and Semin put the game out of reach with a short-handed breakaway goal at 8:57.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Four of Nash's five goals this season have been scored at home. ... Kulikov's goal with 5:39 remaining in the third period was his first in eight games. ... Thomas has allowed three goals on 39 shots in back-to-back games.