Bruins 3, Canes 2

Hurricanes Sergei Samsonov (14) and Brandon Sutter (16) can't score against the Bruins' Dennis Seidenberg (44) and goalie Tim Thomas (30) during the third period. CHRIS SEWARD - cseward@newsobserver.com

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RALEIGH —  The Carolina Hurricanes missed a golden opportunity to pay back the Boston Bruins at the RBC Center Tuesday.

The Bruins (26-13-7) made off with a 3-2 road win a day after thumping the Hurricanes 7-0 in Boston.

The Hurricanes failed to take advantage of several scoring chances in the second period and failed to capitalize on a 45-28 shots advantage over the Bruins.

Bruins goalie Tim Thomas, who was named to the All-Star Game last week, had 43 saves and weathered the storm in the second period, when the Hurricanes had many scoring chances but failed to convert even one, keeping the game a 1-1 tie after two periods.

After Boston center Brad Marchand put the Bruins up 2-1 early in the third period, Canes forward Chad LaRose wristed in his ninth goal of the season camped off to the side of Thomas after Canes rookie center Jeff Skinner and forward Tuomo Ruutu hacked at the puck to the other side and in front of Thomas.

It tied the game at 2-2 at the 9:19 mark of the third period.

But it was a short-lived lead, as former Hurricane forward Mark Recchi earned his second assist of the night, passing the puck to forward Milan Lucic, who snapped in the game-winner, a power play goal, at 11:49. LaRose was in the box for elbowing towering defenseman Zdeno Chara.

It was Recchi that had beaten Carolina center Eric Staal early in the third period on a faceoff. He got the puck to Chara, who fired down to the net and Marchand back-handed the puck to go ahead 2-1 at 3:55 in the third period, igniting the handful of Bruins fans in attendance and quieting the rest of the crowd.

The Canes have reached the 40-shots plateau only twice this season, and they won those two contests. Tuesday's 45-shot output was the most they've mustered this season.

The Hurricanes gave up a power play goal at the 2:04 mark of the first period after Carolina forward Jussi Jokinen was called for tripping.

But Jokinen tied the game with a power play goal of his own at 18:39 in the first.

That power play, which at first sputtered, was in its waning seconds when Carolina defenseman Joe Corvo got the puck down near the net, where Staal, who drew in Thomas, was able to get the puck to the other side of pipes. Jokinen was there to wrist it in.

Jokinen, the NHL's First Star of the Week last week, now has five goals in the last five games (including tonight).

Thomas was penalized for roughing at the end the period after an odd-man rush by the Canes came unmoored with the pipes being dislodged. The Canes started the second period with a power play but weren't able to convert.

Bruins' defenseman Johnny Boychuk scored a power play goal at the 2:04 in the first period for the early lead.

Boychuk fired a rising slap shot from just inside the blue line after the feed from forward Michael Ryder. Note: Bruins' center Marc Savard, camped in front of Carolia goalie Cam Ward, was later given credit for having tipped the puck and then, even later, credit was given back to Boychuk.

The Hurricanes (22-18-6) are still in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings behind the Atlanta Thrashers.

Forward Jiri Tlusty was a scratch. He's missed 15 games after a December injury, but has been available for two games now, including this one.