Hurricanes 4, Bruins 2
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Defenseman Joe Corvo scored midway through the third period as the Carolina Hurricanes clung to their fading playoff hopes by defeating the Boston Bruins 4-2 on Saturday night at PNC Arena.
The Hurricanes halted a seven-game losing streak and won at home for the first time in nine games.
The Bruins were denied clinching a postseason berth for now, needing one point to do so. Boston will have seven more chances in the regular season.
Corvo's power-play goal came on a slap shot just inside the blue line with 10:24 remaining to snap a 2-2 tie. He has six goals this season, and now holds a season-long three-game points streak.
Jiri Tlusty, who scored his second goal of the game into an empty net, and Jeff Skinner had Carolina's other goals.
Milan Lucic and Tyler Seguin scored for the Bruins, who were unable to secure a three-game season sweep of the series with Carolina.
Hurricanes goalie Justin Peters stopped 28 shots.
Boston goalie Tuukka Rask made 34 saves.
Tlusty, who has a career-high 18 goals while playing in 41 games this season, put the Hurricanes ahead in the second period.
The Bruins responded with Seguin's 15th goal of the season when he beat Peters on a one-on-one move with 2:08 left in the second period, tying the score at 2.
Earlier, the Hurricanes pulled even on Skinner's power-play goal with 36 seconds remaining in the first period. His 12th goal of the season -- coming when he shot the puck off Rask's backside -- gave him points in consecutive games for the first time since February.
NOTES: Boston defenseman Matt Bartkowski was denied his first career goal when a scoring change was made in the first period. Bartkowski was playing in his 19th career game. ... There were three first-period fights as the teams met for the third time this season and for the second time in less than a week. ... Boston center Brad Marchand, who had the winning goal against Carolina on Monday, missed his second game in a row with a concussion. ... The Hurricanes didn't have a healthy scratch after right winger Tim Wallace sustained an upper-body injury in the morning skate. ... The Bruins entered the game with a 9-1-1 record against Southeast Division teams this season. ... The game was Boston's final outing when playing three games in four nights. The Bruins have had nine such situations on the schedule. ... Boston plays its next four games at home, beginning Monday against Ottawa. ... The Hurricanes go on the road for their next two games, starting Tuesday night at Ottawa.
