RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) - Tuomo Ruutu and Rod Brind’Amour scored shootout goals to lift the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 win over Tampa Bay and spoil new Lightning coach Rick Tocchet’s debut on Sunday.
The victory ended a three-game losing streak by the Hurricanes and produced a fourth consecutive loss for the Lightning, who fired coach Barry Melrose on Friday.
Tampa Bay led 2-0 in the second period before Wade Brookbank and Brind’Amour scored for Carolina.
Brind’Amour got the equalizer 15:37 into the second, 1:18 after Brookbank scored Carolina’s first goal.
Neither team found the net during the third period or overtime session.
Ruutu put the first shot of the shootout into the net against Tampa Bay netminder Mike Smith.
Vincent Lecavalier’s attempt for Tampa Bay was saved by Carolina goaltender Cam Ward. Brind’Amour then connected for Carolina and Jussi Jokinen was off target for Tampa Bay, earning the Hurricanes victory.
Ward made 26 saves for Carolina and Smith had 28 for Tampa Bay, whose regulation goals came from Martin St. Louis and Lecavalier.
Writing by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina; Editing by Ed Osmond
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