Carolina’s Craig Adams drops in a pair of goals.
By The Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. – Light-scoring Craig Adams had two goals for Carolina, enabling the Hurricanes to snap a three-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Thursday night.

Carolina beat the Rangers for the first time in six games in earned just its third win with a season-high goal total.

The two goals by Adams were his ninth and 10th in 170 career games.

Erik Cole finished off the Rangers with an empty-net goal with 49 seconds left.

The Hurricanes, with the worst power play in the NHL, had four straight man-advantage opportunities in a nine-minute span in the second only to come up empty.

But Adams pounced on a rebound off Sean Hill’s shot with 4:16 left in the period to give the Hurricanes a 3-2 lead and momentum heading to the third.

Ryan Bayda handed the Hurricanes some breathing room 3:09 into the third when Aaron Ward’s shot from the point deflected off his shin pad and past Jussi Markkanen, who shut out Dallas on Tuesday but wasn’t sharp in this one.

The Rangers closed to 4-3 midway through the third when former Carolina forward Jan Hlavac was awarded a questionable penalty shot and beat Kevin Weekes between the legs.

But a minute later, a wide-open Adams took a feed from Rod Brind’Amour and gave Carolina its second two-goal lead of the game.

Again, Carolina got off to a miserable start at home when Bayda and Bob Boughner took penalties less than six minutes in as the Rangers dominated early.

The shot total favored New York 9-1 before Alex Kovalev beat Weekes halfway through the first.

Flyers 4, Capitals 2

PHILADELPHIA – Tony Amonte and Jeremy Roenick each had a goal and assist, leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.

Robert Esche stopped 20 shots for his fourth straight win, and the Flyers remained unbeaten at home (4-0-2) with their fourth win in five games. Vancouver (6-0-1) is the only other NHL team unbeaten at home this season.

Justin Williams and Keith Primeau also scored for Philadelphia. Joel Kwiatkowski and Brian Sutherby had Washington’s goals.

The last-place Capitals, coming off a 5-1 win over previously unbeaten Tampa Bay on Tuesday night, are 3-9-1.

Islanders 4, Stars 1

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Trent Hunter’s goal with 3:20 left in regulation broke a tie and lifted the New York Islanders to a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.

Hunter took the puck around the net, moved to the lower left circle, and wristed his fifth goal over goalie Marty Turco’s glove.

Shawn Bates iced the game with 1:00 left on a backhand. Michael Peca added an empty-net goal with 5.9 seconds left. Mark Parrish scored earlier for the Islanders, 6-1 at home. Rick DiPietro stopped 27 shots.

Kings 1, Lightning 0

TAMPA, Fla. – Ziggy Palffy scored with 12 seconds left in overtime to lead the Los Angeles Kings to a 1-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.

Palffy beat Lightning goalie John Grahame from the slot while being pulled down.

Los Angeles’ Roman Cechmanek made 20 saves for his second shutout of the season and 22nd overall. Grahame had 29 saves.

The Lightning lost their second straight game after opening the season with an eight-game unbeaten streak. Tampa Bay 7-1-1-1 has earned standings points in nine of 10 games.

After a lackluster first period that had a combined eight shots, the teams picked up the tempo in the second.

Oilers 3, Senators 3

OTTAWA – Ethan Moreau and Fernando Pisani scored 2:30 apart in the second period and the Edmonton Oilers overcame a two-goal deficit to earn a 3-3 tie with the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

Marian Hossa had his second two-goal game of the season, and Peter Schaefer scored a short-handed goal for Ottawa, winless in four games (0-2-2).

Trailing 3-1, Moreau scored his fourth of the season at 15:31 on a shot from the right edge of the crease. Pisani tied it when he scored for the second straight game, putting in a loose puck in the crease at 18:01.

Senators defenseman Wade Redden hit the post in overtime after Oilers goalie Tommy Salo stopped a shot by Radek Bonk.

Blues 3, Canucks 2

ST. LOUIS – Keith Tkachuk scored his second consecutive game-winning goal, leading the St. Louis Blues to a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in a match between first-place teams Thursday night.

Tkachuk, who scored in overtime on Tuesday when St. Louis beat Anaheim, leads the Blues with seven goals this season. In 47 games against the Canucks, Tkachuk has 46 points.

The Blues, in first place in the Central Division at 8-3-0-1, have won seven of nine. Vancouver, the Northwest Division leaders at 9-3-2, had its five-game winning streak snapped. The loss broke the Canucks’ nine-game unbeaten streak. All three of the Canucks’ losses this season have come on the road.

St. Louis improved to 2-3-1 in its last six meetings with the Canucks overall. At home, the Blues are 5-1 in the last six games against Vancouver.