TORONTO -- With 30 games left in the regular season, the Carolina Hurricanes can’t afford to slip.

That’s what they did Thursday night in one of their more regrettable losses of the season.

The Canes slipped and the Toronto Maple Leafs made them pay in a 3-0 shutout at the Air Canada Centre.

The Hurricanes (25-21-6) were trying to keep pace or maybe pass the Atlanta Thrashers, who’ve held onto the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot for weeks.

Luckily for the Canes, the Thrashers fell to the Calgary Flames Thursday; But a Carolina win would have put them a point ahead of Atlanta.

RALEIGH — The Carolina Hurricanes nearly blew a two-goal lead, but center Brandon Sutter scored two goals for the second time this season to lead his team to a 6-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at the RBC Center Monday.

It was the 1,000th victory for the franchise (including the Hartford Whalers).

Both of Sutter's goals came in the third period. His first goal, a backhander at the 1:49 mark, gave the Canes a 3-1 lead.

And after the Canes allowed two quick third-period goals, Sutter received a pass from Carolina forward Jussi Jokinen and fired a snap shot past Toronto goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere at 8:55 to give the Hurricanes the lead back at 4-3.

AP photo

TORONTO — The Canes held the Maple Leafs scoreless in the third period and snapped a five-game losing streak. This is Carolina's first shutout since Oct. 30. 

Joe Corvo's power-play goal at 16:26 of the second period and Chad LaRose's goal with just 4.9 seconds left in the period gave the Canes a 2-0 lead.

Staff photo by Chris Seward

For so many reasons, the Hurricanes and coach Paul Maurice needed a win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Canes climbed out of a 4-0 deficit, and Maurice nearly beat his former team.

But Toronto denied Carolina and hung on for a 6-4 win at the RBC Center Thursday.

In ending their four-game losing streak, the Leafs handed the Hurricanes their fourth straight loss.

A throng of Toronto media, in town for tonight’s game against the Maple Leafs, engaged in friendly banter with Hurricanes coach Paul Maurice at the RBC Center after Thursday’s morning skate.

Apparently, Maurice made recent comments saying that he hoped that the Leafs — the team he coach for two seasons ending the 2007-08 season — would lose for 10 years.

“I hope we beat them every time we play them for the next 10 years, no question,” said Maurice. “Now can you schedule a game on that list where you think I shouldn’t?”

Staff photo by Chris Seward

• First Look

RALEIGH — It was quite a comeback, quite a victory for the Carolina Hurricanes, who fought past the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-4 Sunday at the RBC Center.

Trailing 1-0 after the first period and 3-1 deep into the second, the Canes surged to a 4-3 lead after two periods and added a goal early in the third to make it 5-3.

The second-period highlights for Carolina: two power-play goals, Dwight Helminen's first NHL goal, a hustling goal by Tuomo Ruutu and an assist by Sergei Samsonov, his first point of the season.

Chad LaRose's goal 1:15 into the third made it 5-3.