Rangers spoil Canes' party

RALEIGH -- For the Carolina Hurricanes, it was a year that began with a victory and ended with a loss.

And in the Canes' case, that pretty much sums up their year.

Brandon Dubinsky's goal with 8:11 left spoiled New Year's Eve for the Hurricanes on Thursday at the RBC Center, lifting the New York Rangers to a gritty 2-1 victory.

"We've had some peaks and valleys," Canes coach Paul Maurice said of 2009. "It's the truth of all pro sports - it can certainly be a humbling event."

Few expected the Hurricanes to reach the Eastern Conference finals in the Stanley Cup playoffs last season. Even fewer expected the Canes to stumble so badly to start this season or to have a humbling 10-23-7 record on the final day of the year.

A 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Jan. 2 at the RBC Center was a part of the Hurricanes' run to the playoffs. But the loss Thursday, following a complete 6-3 win Monday over the Washington Capitals, was another setback in a season that has had many and prevented Carolina from having a winning record in December (5-6-2).

The Hurricanes had a season-low 18 shots while goaltender Cam Ward faced 35.

"It's disappointing, especially coming off a big game in Washington," Ward said. "We had great puck pursuit in Washington and attacked Washington really well. We didn't have that jump for whatever reason."

Dubinsky, who also had the winner in the Rangers' 3-1 win over the Canes on Dec. 21, scored off the rebound of a Marian Gaborik shot, poking the loose puck past Ward. That came 20 seconds after the Canes' Eric Staal rang the post with a blast from the right wing.

Carolina's Patrick Dwyer also banged a shot off the iron with six minutes to play. The Canes, who got a power-play goal from Joni Pitkanen in the first period for a 1-0 lead, had four hit the post in the game.

"Sometimes you get those bounces, and sometimes you don't," Staal said. "It's too bad we couldn't get enough offense going.

"It's frustrating. It feels like we wasted a good performance by Cam. I thought he was real good."

Ward allowed a power-play goal by Erik Christensen on a 5-on-3 in the first but made some high-quality saves until Dubinsky's winner.

The Canes appeared to have taken a 2-1 lead midway in the second when Brandon Sutter crashed the net and knocked in the puck. But Sutter was ruled to have made contact with Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who stomped out of the crease and slammed his stick to the ice like a petulant teenager.

Moments later, Maurice was seething.

"I wasn't happy with the call because I thought Sutter was interfered with going to the net," Maurice said. "I thought it was a good goal."

The teams traded power-play goals in the first. Pitkanen scored on a 4-on-3, but the Rangers tied it after a double-minor high-sticking call against Scott Walker, followed by a hooking penalty against Rod Brind'Amour.

Christensen, claimed off waivers Dec. 2 by the Rangers, whacked in the rebound of a Gaborik shot.

The Rangers also had a goal disallowed when Christensen was called for goaltender interference in the first. His penalty set up Pitkanen's goal.

The first game of 2010? The Canes and Rangers play again Saturday at the Garden.

Rangers 2, Canes 1

First--1, Carolina, Pitkanen 2 (Whitney, E.Staal), 11:08 (pp). 2, N.Y. Rangers, Christensen 1 (Gaborik, Kotalik), 17:36 (pp). Penalties--Callahan, NYR (hooking), :34; Boyle, NYR (roughing), 9:12; Alberts, Car (roughing), 9:12; Christensen, NYR (goaltender interference), 9:53; Walker, Car, double minor (high-sticking), 14:15; Brind'Amour, Car (hooking), 16:32.

Second--None. Penalties--Voros, NYR, major (fighting), 7:59; Kostopoulos, Car, major (fighting), 7:59; Kostopoulos, Car (high-sticking), 17:15; Cullen, Car (hooking), 18:17; Avery, NYR (slashing), 19:31.

Third--3, N.Y. Rangers, Dubinsky 7 (Gaborik, Christensen), 11:49. Penalties--None.

Shots on goal--N.Y. Rangers 14-15-6--35. Carolina 5-7-6--18. Power-play opportunities--N.Y. Rangers 1 of 5; Carolina 1 of 3. Goalies--N.Y. Rangers, Lundqvist 17-14-4 (18 shots-17 saves). Carolina, C.Ward 5-14-5 (35-33).

Att.--16,947. T--2:22.

NEW YORK RANGERS

GOALTENDING

CAROLINA HURRICANES

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