The Carolina Hurricanes have won two games in Helsinki, Finland. They have road wins over the San Jose Sharks, Phoenix Coyotes and New York Rangers this season.

As for the RBC Center ... don't ask.

Winning at home will have to wait at least another game. After going almost three weeks into the season before playing at the RBC Center, the Hurricanes now are 0-2 at home after a 3-0 loss Saturday to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On Wednesday, the Washington Capitals came into the RBC Center, got a shutout from goaltender Michal Neuvirth and topped the Canes 3-0. On Saturday, it was Brent Johnson between the pipes stopping everything the Hurricanes sent his way.

Pascal Dupuis scored a pair of goals and Maxime Talbot added another as the Pens ended a three-game winless streak. But Johnson was the game's first star, notching his 14th career shutout with 33 saves, and now is 5-0-1 this season.

The Hurricanes couldn't score with heavy shots, tipped shots or point-blank shots. They couldn't score on rebounds or with an open net. They couldn't score early in the third period with 47 seconds of a two-man advantage or on six power plays.

That's now 120 minutes of play at the RBC Center and zero goals.

"I thought we had more, higher-quality chances than we did in the Washington game," Canes coach Paul Maurice said. "Their guy made some big saves and held that line pretty good."

A night after beating the Rangers 4-3 at Madison Square Garden, the Hurricanes (5-5-0) were beaten by a team that was too quick and too efficient. And, it seems, very motivated.

The Penguins (6-5-1) came into the game an angry team. A 3-2 loss at home to the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday, in a bruising game, led to a postgame players meeting led by captain Sidney Crosby.

The Pens' power play was a joke -- 0-for-20 in the last four games. And center Evgeni Malkin was injured late in the Flyers game and not available Saturday.

But Johnson was back in goal. The Pens had jump. They scored a goal in each of the first two periods, both on speedy odd-man rushes.

"They're a very,very fast team and their transition game is good," Maurice said. "If you're pinching your (defensemen) you're going to get odd-man rushes if you don't get forward help. So, some mistakes."

Dupuis scored at 4:18 of the first after Crosby pushed the puck past defenseman Jamie McBain. Dupuis skated in on the left wing and got a shot that nicked the stick of Canes defenseman Joni Pitkanen and skidded under the pads of goaltender Cam Ward.

Early in the second, Talbot and Arron Asham clicked on a two-on-one. Talbot outskated Canes rookie Jeff Skinner down the ice to get in position to score at 2:15 for a 2-0 lead.

Johnson, who has quick feet, had some terrific saves on a Canes power play midway the second period, twice stopping heavy Anton Babchuk shots. In the opening minute of the third, the Canes' Brandon Sutter got the puck to Jiri Tlusty, who had an open net but hit the post.

"If we get one (goal), the crowd is going to drive us," Maurice said. "If we get one, we give them a reason to get up and get cheering.

"We couldn't find that one. We had a great chance early in the third and that might have been the one to get us going."

Later, the Canes had 47 seconds of a 5-on-3 after Skinner was hooked in front of the crease by defenseman Alex Goligoski. But the Pens were aggressive on the penalty kill and Johnson turned away a Joe Corvo shot with a swat of his stick.

"They played well but I think we just have to be grittier in front of the net," Canes forward Tuomo Ruutu said. "We had the chances but need to be grittier."

Dupuis then had the back-breaker. His second goal, at 8:10 of the third, took the air out of the building -- that is, other than the noisy Pens fans at the RBC Center.

"Nothing went our way," Canes defenseman Tim Gleason said.

The Hurricanes will be making their 12th and last flight of the month today when they fly to Philadelphia to play the Flyers on Monday. They're back on the road -- where they've scored, where they've won.

chip.alexander@newsobserver.com or 919-829-8945