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Erik Cole and Eric Staal each tallied twice for the Hurricanes, who improved their NHL-best home record to 26-5-1 and tied their franchise record for home wins in a season set 19 years ago when the team was based in Hartford.

The Hurricanes now play nine of their next 10 games on the road, but coach Peter Laviolette told reporters that won't pose much of a problem.

"We've obviously played very well at home all season," Laviolette said. "But it's good to get out on the road a little bit."

Staal opened the scoring for Carolina in the opening period before Cole doubled the advantage 3:36 into the second.

Chris Gratton put the Panthers on the scoreboard with a powerplay goal just over a minute later, but Carolina goaltender Martin Gerber made some big saves to maintain the lead.

Gerber made 37 saves to win his fifth game in as many tries over the Panthers this season. It was his first game since playing for Switzerland at the Turin Olympics.

"We had some chances and didn't capitalize," Florida coach Jacques Martin told reporters.

"The difference in the hockey game was that they took advantage of their chances and we didn't."

Craig Adams restored Carolina's two-goal lead at 3:25 of the third period, but Serge Payer brought the Panthers back to within a goal six minutes later.

Cole and Staal then took over, scoring their 28th and 38th goals of the season respectively.

Mike Van Ryn had two assists for the Panthers, who lost for the second time in three games and remain well back of eighth place Montreal for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

In Buffalo, Derek Roy scored a hat-trick as the Sabres beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-2. Chris Drury, Daniel Briere and Thomas Vanek scored the other goals for the Sabres while Alexei Ponikarovsky and Alexander Steen scored for the Leafs.

In Chicago, Markus Naslund scored the game winner in a shootout as the Vancouver Canucks rallied to beat the Blackhawks 5-4.

(Writing by Roger Lajoie in Toronto)

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