BUFFALO, N.Y. — Jussi Jokinen snapped a third-period tie and added an assist, and backup Manny Legace made 28 saves in the Carolina Hurricanes' 4-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night.
Jokinen's slap shot from the top of the left circle beat goalie Ryan Miller with 3:17 to go to snap Carolina's two-game losing streak.
Eric Staal had a goal and assist, and Aaron Ward and Tom Kostopoulos also scored for Carolina. The Hurricanes have won five of their last seven to improve to 20-30-7.
Legace started in place of Cam Ward, who was sent home for treatment on an upper body injury. Coach Paul Maurice said Ward, who played in 26 of the previous 27 games after returning from a leg laceration, stiffened up on the team's flight from Calgary to Buffalo following a loss Wednesday night.
Appearing in just his fifth game in the last 28, Legace experienced a scare before the game even started. In pregame warmups he was stunned by Aaron Ward's slap shot, and was down on the ice clutching his upper chest area for a couple of minutes before skating off.
Drew Stafford scored twice, Andrej Sekera had a goal and two assists, and Miller made 23 saves for the slumping Sabres (32-17-7), who have lost three straight in regulation for the first time this season.
The two teams combined for five third-period goals, with Staal starting things by giving Carolina a 2-1 lead with his team-leading 20th of the season just 34 seconds into the period.
Stafford tied it 24 seconds later, then gave Buffalo a 3-2 lead 2 minutes later when his slap shot from the point bounced high in the air before ricocheting off Legace's back and in.
Kostopoulos tied it at 3 with 11:37 left, tapping in a slick pass from Sergei Samsonov.
Carolina struck first when Aaron Ward scored his first of the season with just under 7 minutes to go in the first period. From the right circle, Ward snapped a shot that eluded Miller along the ice.
Sekera tied it for Buffalo with 1:25 to go in the first, scoring his second goal in two games with a slap shot from the point.
Notes
Staal stretched his points streak to a career-high 11 games. … Carolina G Justin Peters was recalled from Albany of the AHL to replace Cam Ward. … Aaron Ward's goal was his first in 68 games. … Legace had played just 7 minutes since Christmas. … The Sabres are 2-6-1 in their last nine games. … Sabres LW Thomas Vanek had two assists.