Sunrise, FL (My Sportsbook) - Cory Stillman scored twice, including the game- winning goal with 1:06 remaining in the third period, as the Hurricanes edged Florida, 4-3, on a night Carolina's Erik Cole had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher.

Justin Williams also scored twice for the Hurricanes, who captured the Southeast Division battle and won for the fourth time in five games. Matt Cullen and Ray Whitney each had two assists, while Cam Ward made 28 saves. The Hurricanes beat the Panthers for the ninth time in the last 10 meetings.

Stephen Weiss, David Booth and Jozef Stumpel had the goals for the Panthers, who have lost three in a row. Tomas Vokoun made 32 saves in defeat.

Cole suffered an apparent neck injury with 7:26 left in regulation. He was skating with the puck through the right circle when he was checked from behind by Jassen Cullimore. Cole went head-first into Vokoun's legs and remained on his stomach in the crease before medical personnel wheeled him out on a stretcher. Cole's neck and head were immobilized as he was placed on a backboard and wheeled off the ice. He was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, but reports indicated he had movement in his extremities.

Booth squared the contest at the 12:02 mark of the third. Ville Peltonen passed the puck from the left side of the net, and it hit the skate of Carolina's Glen Wesley before Booth took control of the disc near the right post to score into an open net.

However, Stillman gave Carolina the victory. The puck caromed off the boards behind the net and that's where Stillman backhanded the puck off Vokoun. The disc hit off the stick of Florida's Steve Montador and went into the net.

Florida had a chance to tie the game in the final half-minute, but Ward made a pad save on a shot from Olli Jokinen in front.

Stumpel scored on a backhander from below the left circle just 2:56 into the game, but Williams tied the score at the 18:21 mark of the first on a shot from the slot off assists from Frantisek Kaberle and Whitney.

Ward made a good stop on a close attempt from the left side of the net from Jay Bouwmeester with 2:32 left in the second period, and Carolina went ahead 52 seconds into the third. With Radek Dvorak in the penalty box for tripping, the Hurricanes capitalized on the man advantage thanks to a gaffe from Vokoun. Stillman had the puck at the red line along the left boards and faked sending it around them. Instead, Vokoun vacated the net and Stillman had his 10th goal of the season.

Weiss tied the game only 18 seconds later, receiving a cross-ice pass from Booth and shooting high from the edge of the right circle, with the puck squeezing into the top right corner of the net.

Williams' eighth tally of the season ended a series of three goals in 2:39. He gave Carolina a 3-2 lead by firing a light wrist shot from above the right circle, with the puck sailing over the glove of Vokoun.

Game Notes

The first-place Hurricanes are 6-2-2 on the road this year...Florida and Carolina were meeting for the third time in the last 19 days...The Panthers are in the midst of a stretch where they will play nine games in 16 days, with all nine contests coming against Southeast Division foes. This was the fifth of those nine games...Panthers head coach Jacques Martin remained at 79 wins with Florida, tied for second on the team list with Terry Murray...Carolina coach Peter Laviolette picked up his 200th victory of his NHL coaching career...Whitney has a 10-game points streak with seven goals and 10 assists in that span...Carolina was 1-for-8 on the power play, while Florida was 0-for-2.