Fri Mar 28 22:52:59 2008

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'Canes thrash Thrashers

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Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - Tuomo Ruutu and Jeff Hamilton each scored twice, Eric Staal had a goal and two assists and the Carolina Hurricanes pummeled the lowly Atlanta Thrashers, 7-1, at RBC Center.

Carolina finished the night with five power-play goals, tying a franchise record.

Joe Corvo and Trevor Letowski each tallied and had a helper, while Cam Ward made 25 saves for the Southeast Division-leading Hurricanes, who now hold a four-point edge over idle Washington with four games remaining in the regular season. The 'Canes have a game in hand and will visit the Capitals on Tuesday.

"Any game, any team I think it is important to score first," said Hurricanes head coach Peter Laviolette. "I'm sure that there is some stat out there that says when you score first you win x amount of time and that is a pretty big percentage."

Jim Slater lit the lamp and Johan Hedberg allowed all seven goals on 35 shots faced for the Thrashers, who have dropped five of their last six games.

"We got a little out of control there," said Thrashers head coach Don Waddell. "We didn't like some of the first calls and we got frustrated with them and it took over for us there in the second period. It is one of those games that just got out of hand."

The 'Canes needed just 42 seconds from the opening faceoff to the grab the lead, as Staal poked a rebound inside the left post.

Hamilton then made it 2-0 with a blast from above the left circle during a Carolina power play. The veteran center was practically uncontested, then wound up and found an open shooting lane, blasting the puck under the stick of Hedberg at 6:14.

Carolina cashed in on a 5-on-3 in the middle stanza, getting plenty of pressure down low before the puck was drawn back to the point for Erik Cole. He then quickly dished to Corvo, whose shot from the left faceoff dot beat Hedberg clean at 5:29.

The home squad upped it to 4-0 -- and continued its impressive play on the man-advantage --when Ruutu's shot found the back of the net at 7:50.

Slater helped the Thrashers break through with a short-handed goal at 16:53, but Atlanta trailed 4-1 heading to the third.

Ruutu tacked on his second of the night at the midpoint of the third, giving the 'Canes their fourth power-play goal in nine chances. Letowski added a short-handed marker with 6:27 left in the contest, while Hamilton struck again during a 5-on-4 with 2:09 to play.

Game Notes

Cole and Tim Gleason each had two assists for Carolina...Atlanta finished 0- for-9 on the power play...Carolina is 6-1-1 against Atlanta in 2007-08 while outscoring the Thrashers 27-13 in winning the past five meetings...The clubs combined for 115 minutes worth of penalties...Carolina has earned points in 14 of its last 15 home games...Atlanta is 2-12-3 in the second game of a back-to- back...Carolina's Chad LaRose was back in the lineup after missing 21 games with a broken leg...Carolina's Bret Hedican left the game in the second period with a strained torso and did not return. He is day-to-day.