Raleigh, NC (My Sportsbook) - Eric Staal's 21st goal of the season came with 1:36 remaining in regulation and lifted the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-2 triumph over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Matt Cullen had a goal and an assist and Chad LaRose notched the first short- handed goal of the season for Carolina, which has won three of four. Cam Ward earned a 15th consecutive start between the pipes and allowed two goals on 29 shots, posting his 100th career win.

Mark Recchi and Ryan Malone lit the lamp for Tampa Bay, which failed in attempting to extend its winning streak to a season-high four games. Mike Smith gave up three scores on 31 shots in the loss.

"They had two fluky goals, and you know, you can't blame Smitty (Smith). He's been great all year for us," Lightning head coach Rick Tocchet said. "We played a good hockey game. I thought we played really well. They just got the goal at the end to win the game."

The Lightning haven't won four in a row since rattling off five straight victories from November 7-16 of last season.

With time winding down in the third, the Hurricanes' Sergei Samsonov followed a bouncing puck into the slot and unleashed a hard wrister on net. Smith couldn't handle it cleanly and Staal, engaged in a mad scramble for the puck, nudged the disc over the goal-line for the game-winner.

"I thought we had some chances earlier that were better, probably, or maybe designed a little bit differently, but we're taking whatever we get," 'Canes head coach Paul Maurice said.

Tampa Bay had a goal disallowed in the first period when Martin St. Louis knocked down a Paul Ranger slap shot with a high stick, but the Lightning took advantage of some sloppy play by Carolina in its own zone a short time later.

The Hurricanes defense coughed up the puck in the slot and Recchi capitalized by sending a wrister past Ward at 16:55.

The Lightning had a chance to take a two-goal lead early in the second when Carolina's Tuomo Ruutu took a high-sticking penalty, but the 'Canes turned the tables with a shorthanded marker at 5:34.

Cullen dug the puck off the right boards and threw it in front for LaRose, who got the deflection to carom past Smith. Cullen then put the Hurricanes in front with 1:24 to go in the frame with a wraparound that deflected off Smith's stick into the net.

Malone's tap-in off a cross-ice pass from Recchi 5:10 into the third followed another Carolina turnover and tied the game at two.

Game Notes

Carolina is 4-0 against the Lightning this season and has taken five straight against the Lightning overall...Tampa Bay has dropped five consecutive tests in Raleigh and fell to 9-14-3 as the visiting team this season...The Hurricanes are 13-10-1 as the host this season and will next welcome Atlanta on Saturday...The Lightning next return home for Friday's meeting with Philadelphia...The Hurricanes placed defenseman Niclas Wallin on injured reserve earlier Thursday with a leg injury and recalled defenseman Bryan Rodney from Albany of the American Hockey League...Despite the loss, the Lightning boast a 6-3-0 record in their last nine games.