RALEIGH -- Brandon Sutter had the winning goal, Cam Ward had a winning game in net and rookie Jeff Skinner showed off his scoring skill again Friday with a winner of a move for the Hurricanes.

It all added up to a 2-1 overtime victory over the Colorado Avalanche at the RBC Center, ending the Canes' three-game slide at home.

Sutter ended what may have been his best all-around game of the season with the game-winner. Taking a pass from Joni Pitkanen, he chipped the puck past defenseman Mike Hunwick on the right wing and then beat Avs goalie Craig Anderson with a quick, high wrister.

RALEIGH — The Hurricanes get their third win in a row with a 5-2 defeat of the visiting Colorado Avalanche. It’s the first time the franchise, as the Carolina Hurricanes, beat Colorado. The Hurricanes had faced the Avalanche 15 times since moving from Harford, Conn.

Center Matt Cullen gets his first career hat trick, scoring his third goal with 31.4 seconds left on an empty net. Wing Ray Whitney had passed from the left wing across to the right, where Cullen’s move brought hats onto the ice.