Canes, Rangers mix it up

Brookbank tangles with Rangers' Orr twice in first period

RALEIGH -- The last time the Carolina Hurricanes faced the New York Rangers, they lost two players -- Matt Cullen and Andrew Ladd -- to injuries caused by their opponents.

Cullen suffered a concussion when he was flattened by Colton Orr, and Ladd needed surgery for a broken orbital bone after he was sucker-punched by Sean Avery as the officials restrained Ladd.

Twenty-four hours later, Wade Brookbank was on a plane for Raleigh to provide the toughness that had been missing in that Dec. 26 loss.

In Tuesday's 3-1 win, they had a score to settle and something to prove not only to the Rangers but to the rest of the league: They won't be pushed around.

Scott Walker and Avery tussled before the puck hit the ice on the opening faceoff, and Brookbank fought Orr less than four minutes into the game and again later in the first period.

And less than a minute after the first Brookbank-Orr fight, Walker hit Scott Gomez in the corner from behind, provoking a brawl that saw Avery pick up an instigator penalty and Tim Gleason thrown out for being the third man into the fight.

"It's the same story as two years ago," Cullen said. "It's no secret that we're a skating, skilled team. Every team puts it on their board that they need to hit us, play physical on us. From one team to another, I don't think it matters what specific team it is.

"We as a group need to match that physicality, and that's going to be an important part of us being successful. The fact is, we're better when we're playing physical and with a little bit of an edge."

Brookbank, who needed stitches over his right eye and had his left eye blackened, earned the praise of his teammates for fighting Orr twice. He was in as many fights Tuesday as he had been in his first 10 games with the Canes.

"We got at it pretty early and he hit me with one, and that's the way it's going to go sometimes," Brookbank said. "I've got to give the guys a little bit of a comfort level where I'm going to have their backs in whatever situation may come and let them go do their thing."

FRESH START FOR WARD: When Cam Ward starts and allows two or fewer goals, the Canes are 14-3-0. But that's happened in only 17 of his 39 starts this year. His 36-save performance Tuesday was one of his best this season, and the five days off may have played a role.

"I just relaxed," Ward said. "I did the best I could to take my mind away from the game. Everybody is in great shape where you don't need the physical rest, but perhaps some mental rest to not think about things is always beneficial. I came back from the little vacation with a purpose."

NO MASK FOR LADD: For the first time since he was injured Dec. 26, Andrew Ladd played without a full-face mask, wearing instead a more conventional half-shield to protect his eye. Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette told Ladd that he was not to fight Avery under any circumstances.

"I was told not to -- advised not to, I guess," Ladd said. "But I wouldn't mind trying it without the refs."

TAILWINDS: Jeff Hamilton was a healthy scratch for the fifth straight game. ... FSN South's coverage of the Carolina Hurricanes won a Midsouth Regional Emmy for best sports game/event telecast Saturday. ... Eric Staal's five-game point streak came to an end.