Tuomo Ruutu, Jussi Jokinen score in second period, Hurricanes beat Lightning 3-1

Hurricanes beat Lightning 3-1

RALEIGH, N.C. — Tuomo Ruutu and Jussi Jokinen scored second-period goals, and Manny Legace made 20 saves to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1 on Saturday night.

Chad LaRose added a goal with 4:23 remaining in the game.

While Carolina remains near the bottom of the NHL standings, the Hurricanes have won three of their last four and have points in their last five games.

Martin St. Louis scored for the Lightning, and Mike Smith made 24 saves. Tampa Bay entered the game 4-0-3 in its previous seven.

The winner came late in the second period when Jokinen, stationed in front of the net, tipped Joe Corvo’s slow-moving shot through Smith’s legs.

The Hurricanes had tied the score on the power play earlier in the period when Joni Pitkanen made a nice play to keep the puck in at the blue line. Pitkanen then fed Ray Whitney, who sent a perfect cross-ice pass to Ruutu. Ruutu one-timed it past Smith’s glove for his ninth point in his last six games.

Tampa Bay opened the scoring late in the first.

With Tom Kostopoulos in the penalty box, Kurtis Foster took a shot from the point that deflected off the stick of Carolina’s Matt Cullen. Off-balance, Legace couldn’t control the rebound, and the puck dribbled out to St. Louis, who converted from a sharp angle.

Tampa Bay, which played Thursday night in Anaheim before taking a cross-country flight Friday, couldn’t muster many scoring chances the rest of the way, allowing the Hurricanes to take control.

Carolina has won eight consecutive games at home against the Lightning. It was the first time in 15 games Carolina hadn’t allowed at least three goals.

NOTES: Pitkanen returned to the lineup after missing two games because of a lower-body injury. … St. Louis has four points in three games against Carolina this season. … Tampa Bay left wing Ryan Malone’s points streak was snapped at five games.