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Saturday, Dec. 18 7:30pm ET
Gelinas pushes 'Canes past Thrashers | |||||
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BOX SCORE
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Martin Gelinas couldn't hide how difficult it was to enjoy his first two-point night of the season. Gelinas, still on Carolina only because no other team claimed him off waivers earlier this week, scored a goal and added an assist in the Hurricanes' 4-2 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday night. In addition to Gelinas scoring, Gary Roberts, Robert Kron and Ron Francis added second-period goals as the Hurricanes rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat the expansion Thrashers. "It has been pretty emotional, not only for myself but for my family," said Gelinas, a former 30-goal scorer who has only six points in 31 games this season. "We all know my days are kind of numbered here in North Carolina, but while I'm playing I want to give my best to my teammates." Gelinas, a 12-year NHL veteran, said he was surprised to be dressed for the game, let alone play on the team's top line with Ron Francis. "When you play with Ronnie he creates so much room out there, he's so talented with the puck," Gelinas said. "The guy's got 1,500 points, he's got a one-way ticket to the Hall of Fame, so it was pretty neat to play with him." Coach Paul Maurice said Francis worked hard to get Gelinas, playing in place of slumping Sami Kapanen, involved. "That's the beautiful thing about having a leader and a captain like Ronnie Francis," Maurice said. "He knows when a guy needs a lift." The struggling Thrashers, who led 2-0 less than six minutes into the game, dropped their seventh straight to match the longest losing streak in the NHL this season. Nashville lost seven in row from Nov. 20 to Dec. 2. Carolina snapped a season-worst three-game skid, tying a season-high with 14 second-period shots. "Great first period, but then we come out in the second and the floodgates open," Atlanta coach Curt Fraser said. "It can't be the referee all the time, we must be doing some pretty poor things." Carolina dug its second straight early hole at home, falling behind by a pair. On Wednesday, the Hurricanes fell behind Pittsburgh 3-0 in the first before losing 6-3. But this time power-play goals by Roberts and Kron gave the Hurricanes the lead for good in the second, and Francis added his eighth with 1:26 left in the period off a nifty between-the-legs pass from Gelinas. Gelinas made the most of his chance to skate on Carolina's top line. In addition to assisting on the Francis goal, he scored Carolina's first goal midway through the first period. Atlanta had scored a combined three goals in its last five games, but struck for a pair in the first 5:44 of the first period. Dean Sylvester got his seventh of the season from the slot, then a little more than a minute later the Thrashers outworked Carolina to the side of Arturs Irbe and Patrik Stefan stuffed one by the Hurricanes goalie. After the second goal, coach Paul Maurice lifted Irbe in favor of Eric Fichaud, who had played in only five of the team's first 31 games. "It's frustrating because we talked about having a good start and we came out and didn't have a good start again," Francis said. "We've got to stop spotting teams two and three goals in the first 10 minutes of hockey games because in this day and age it's too tough to come back all the time." Carolina closed to 2-1 midway through the first when Gelinas scored only his second, putting his own rebound past Norm Maracle. Francis assisted on Gelinas' goal to extend his point streak to seven straight games. | ALSO SEE NHL Scoreboard Atlanta Clubhouse Carolina Clubhouse RECAPS Calgary 2 Ottawa 1
Carolina 4
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