Hurricanes 6, Maple Leafs 1

[January 10, 2014]  RALEIGH, N.C. — Hurricanes 6, Maple Leafs 1: Jordan Staal scored a goal and et up three others while Elias Lindholm added a tally and two assists as host Carolina rolled to its fifth straight win.

Zach Boychuk and Jeff Skinner recorded a goal and an assist apiece while Patrick Dwyer and defenseman John-Michael Liles also scored for the Hurricanes, who had posted four consecutive one-goal victories before breaking out against struggling Toronto. Anton Khudobin turned aside 25 shots to preserve the win.

Joffrey Lupul netted the lone goal for the Maple Leafs, who have been outscored 18-5 during their three-game losing streak. James Reimer made 30 saves in his first start since Dec. 21.

After Boychuk put Carolina on the board just 2:33 into the game, Skinner extended the advantage six minutes later during a power play. The red-hot forward pounced on the rebound of Staal's shot and slapped it past an outstretched Reimer for his 18th goal in the last 19 games.

Lupul trimmed the deficit in half by tapping in Mason Raymond's centering pass at 14:14, but Dwyer restored Carolina's two-goal lead at 17:33 with a wrist shot from the low slot that sailed through a sea of legs and eluded Reimer. Liles' first goal since being acquired from Toronto made it 4-1 only 3:39 into the second period, and Staal added a short-handed tally 25 seconds into the third following a turnover by Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf at the Hurricanes' blue line.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Maple Leafs D Jake Gardiner was a healthy scratch. The third-year blue-liner has two goals and 11 assists in 43 games. ... Skinner has nine goals and five assists over his last seven games. ... Toronto outhit Carolina 40-13.

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