The Tampa Bay Lightning was becoming a persistent problem for the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Lightning beat the Canes in the final game last season, keeping Carolina out of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Lightning beat the Canes again to begin this season and had won three straight at the RBC Center.

As forward Brandon Sutter put it, "It seems like they've had our number."

But the Canes found a way to win 4-2 Tuesday to move past the Lightning in the Eastern Conference.

Jeff Skinner scored two goals. Chad LaRose did the same.

The Hurricanes, during the game's most pivotal two minutes, killed off a 5-on-3 power play by the Lightning, which had won four of its past five games.

Sutter, Bryan Allen and Tim Gleason did the brunt of the work on the kill and goaltender Cam Ward stopped three shots by Vincent Lecavalier.

Ward had 28 saves and was at his best with those three defenders in front of him during that 5-on-3 penalty kill, and against some of the top skill players in the NHL.

"To come up with a big kill like that is a game-changer and a big momentum boost," Ward said.

LaRose's first goal came on a power play late in the first period, tying the score 1-1. The Canes outshot Tampa Bay 19-7 in the period but trailed before goaltender Dwayne Roloson was called for tripping and LaRose knocked in the rebound off a Jay Harrison shot.

"To come in tied up and to have some energy and emotion was big," LaRose said.

His second goal was just as critical.

It came with 4:50 left in regulation and less than a minute after Brett Connolly's first NHL goal had pulled Tampa Bay within 3-2.

Skinner scored 22 seconds into the second period on a goal that was equal parts skill and determination. He gathered in a loose puck near the boards, maneuvered around 6-foot-6, 229-pound defenseman Victor Hedman to beat Roloson with a forehand.

"It takes incredible balance and strength to be able to handle some of those big guys and still control the puck and change directions," Canes coach Paul Maurice said. "It's a skill and an ability few people have."

Skinner pushed the Canes ahead 2-1, but Eric Staal's tripping penalty, followed by a hooking call against LaRose gave the Lightning the 5-on-3 at 4:58 of the second.

"You try not to think it's two minutes," Allen said, smiling. "You take it moment by moment and try to limit their best options. It's whatever it takes. Cam (Ward) was the best of the four of us."

Skinner picked up his second goal off a Jussi Jokinen pass at 10:38 of the second for a 3-1 lead. It was the sixth two-goal game of Skinner's young career, and he nearly picked up his first hat trick before the period ended.

One downer for the Canes was that Jokinen left the game early in the third after twisting his left leg.

Jokinen did not return, and Maurice said his status is "day-to-day," noting the injury was "nothing catastrophic."

The game was the first of 10 at home for the Canes (5-4-3) this month. They were determined to not let Tampa Bay be the spoiler again.

"I think coming off last year, that first game (against Tampa Bay) we almost wanted it too much," Skinner said. "We came off it five minutes in the third and they buried us (5-1).

"You don't want to think about the team you're playing and the situation ... but you can't help but sort of know the situation. It's good to come out here and get a win here."

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