Ruutu's shot in shootout gives Canes first victory of season

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Game Information

Arena: RBC Center Location: Raleigh, North Carolina

Referees: Paul Devorski, Justin St. Pierre Linesmen: Derek Amell, Anthony Sericolo

Attendance: 16,186 (86.4% full)

Team Stat Comparison
55	Goals	50
58	Goals Against	80
17	Power Play Goals	15
21	Power Play Goals Allowed	23
1	Shorthanded Goals	1
3	Shorthanded Goals Allowed	1
347	Penalty Minutes	388
17	Average Penalty Minutes	17

Scoring Summary
1ST PERIOD
	13:12	Jussi Jokinen (power play) Assist: Joni Pitkanen, Cam Ward
2ND PERIOD
	6:00	Ryan Malone (power play) Assist: Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis
3RD PERIOD
No scoring this period
OT
No scoring this period
SHOOTOUT
	Sergei Samsonov shootout attempt against Mike Smith: GOAL.
	Martin St. Louis shootout attempt against Cam Ward: SAVED.
	Jussi Jokinen shootout attempt against Mike Smith: SAVED.
	Vincent Lecavalier shootout attempt against Cam Ward: MISSED.
	Tuomo Ruutu shootout attempt against Mike Smith: GOAL.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Hurricanes' Finnish connection had a big night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, extending Carolina's domination of its Southeast Division rival.

Tuomo Ruutu scored the goal to clinch the shootout after former Lightning forward Jussi Jokinen scored his team's only goal in regulation as Carolina won 2-1 Tuesday night, extending the Lightning's RBC Center losing streak to seven games.

Sergei Samsonov began the shootout by beating Tampa Bay goalie Mike Smith, wrapping the puck around him left to right, before Cam Ward stopped the Lightning's Martin St. Louis. Smith then stopped Jokinen, and after Vincent Lecavalier hit the right post the left-shooting Ruutu beat Smith stick side.

"I wasn't sure what I was going to do but it ended up working out so that was pretty good," Ruutu said. "I just had to shoot somewhere. These games are so tight right now."

The win was Carolina's first in three games this season, while Tampa Bay is 0-1-1.

Jokinen got the regulation goal for Carolina while Ryan Malone scored for Tampa Bay, both on the power play.

The Hurricanes were playing their first game since forward Erik Cole, who is expected to be out 4-6 weeks, suffered a broken leg in Saturday's 7-2 road loss to the Boston Bruins.

Carolina won all six of the teams' meetings last season.

"It's a little mental right now," Tampa Bay coach Rick Tocchet said. "It was the second game of the year. It's one of those things where you have to stick with it. You've just got to free your mind. It's you against the goalie, that's all it is. It's tough when you're in a rut."

Jokinen, obtained in a trade with the Lightning in February, gave the Hurricanes their first lead of the season on their first power play at 13:12 of the first, scoring on a rush off Joni Pitkanen's lead pass.

"It's a big win," Jokinen said. "The last two games we didn't play as good as we wanted, and I think we took a big step. We could play better, but wins are what counts and it's a big win. Obviously when you play against your old team there's an extra feeling there. It's nice to get a win and nice to get a goal. It feels good."

Tampa Bay tied it in a 5-on-3 at 6 minutes of the second, as Malone scored on a rebound of Steven Stamkos' shot.

Game notes
Defenseman Pitkanen was in the lineup for Carolina for the first time after missing the first two games following his knee surgery of Sept. 10. But he left the game during the second period with a lower body injury and did not return. Carolina's Tim Conboy and Tampa Bay's Zenon Konopka fought in the first period. Lightning forward Andrej Meszaros played in his 300th NHL game, while Smith was playing in his 100th. The teams will meet again in Tampa on Saturday night.