Canes 4, Blackhawks 2

RALEIGH — The Chicago Blackhawks might be one of the top teams in the league, with explosive offense from center Jonathan Toews and forwards Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa.

But on a night that a reported crowd of 6,896 showed, the Carolina Hurricanes played like one of the best with solid goaltending and a pair of third period goals in a 4-2 victory at the RBC Center Saturday.

With a sheet of ice and snow on Triangle roads, a small but hardy crowd showed for the game.

They were treated to an exciting game, with the top Chicago trio failing to generate enough goals to get the team's first victory in the RBC Center.

For the better part of two periods, Carolina goalie Cam Ward was the neutralizer, coming up with big saves in the second and third periods that kept the Blackhawks at bay until forwards Brandon Sutter and Matt Cullen broke open the game with goals 26 seconds apart near the midway point of the period.

Just 1:35 before Sutter's goal, former Hurricane forward Andrew Ladd, who was traded to the Blackhawks for Tuomo Ruutu in 2008, tied the game at 2-2 with a shot from the left circle at 7:43, drawing a loud applause from a solid showing from Chicago fans, who were soon disappointed.

But Sutter, capitalizing on a defensive breakdown, tipped in a hard shot from forward Chad LaRose at 9:08 and Cullen's goal came at 9:34.

While Carolina, winnings its fourth game in a row and fifth in six games, took commanding control late, the game was close early.

The first period was close to even, with each team getting off 10 shots on goal.

Carolina forward Sergei Samsonov managed the only goal of the period, scoring with only 10 seconds left.

Hurricanes defenseman Andrew Alberts fired from the left wing, with forward Tom Kostopoulos getting an assist after Samsonov put away a loose puck at 19:50 in the first period.

Samsonov, a former Hawk claimed by the Canes on waivers in 2008, also earned an assist on Cullen's goal.

The second period was even more fast-paced, with the Blackhawks sending several rushes down the ice and out-shooting the Hurricanes 16-6 in the period.

Hossa beat Ward with a backhander at 6:46 in the second period, with forwards Patrick Sharp and former Cane Andrew Ladd earning assists on the play.

But as good as the Blackhawks were on numerous odd-man rushes, Ward was better.

And Hurricanes forward Jussi Jokinen took the lead back late in the second period with a one-timer that saw Hurricanes center Eric Staal get his an assist, extending his points streak to nine games.

Chicago Blackhawks goalie Cristobal Huet tried to coral the puck face first in the goal, a play that was reviewed, but the puck clearly crossed over the line.

The young, dangerous Kane had more opportunities later in the period, but Ward continued to deny him.

Ward kept up his play in the third period, and he needed to, when Chicago came close to scoring on several shifts, with a pair of Hawks' chances reviewed to double-check that a goal wasn't scored.

Moments after the second review, where the puck was put in after the whistle, Ladd tied the game.

And in the last minute, there was Ward, denying Kane with his pads one more time. Kane tried to wait out the goalie in front of the net with a empty net on the other side. Ward finished with 39 saves.

The Blackhawks have never beaten the Hurricanes at the RBC, their only road win against Carolina at the Greensboro Coliseum on Jan. 14, 1998.