NHL Game Summary - Carolina at Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Jiri Tlusty recorded two goals and an assist as the Carolina Hurricanes came through with a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the opener of a home-and-home series.

Nathan Gerbe snapped a 2-2 tie with a power-play score early in the third period that helped the Hurricanes halt a three-game skid and deal the powerful Penguins just their third regulation defeat in their last 16 outings.

Carolina entered the matchup an NHL-worst 2-9-2 on the road this season.

Patrick Dwyer added a goal to support a 20-save effort from Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward.

Pittsburgh, which was outshot by a 35-22 margin, received goals from Kris Letang and Patric Hornqvist. Sidney Crosby assisted on both markers, with Marc-Andre Fleury stopping 31-of-34 chances in defeat.

After outplaying the Penguins through two periods but still mired in a 2-2 deadlock, the Hurricanes capitalized on a goaltender interference penalty to Crosby to regain the upper hand.

Elias Lindholm hit Gerbe in the left circle with a pass across the width of the ice, and the diminutive wing fired a shot through Fleury's pads 3:10 into the frame.

The Hurricanes maintained the lead as Pittsburgh barely tested Ward the rest of the way, with Tlusty sealing the outcome on an empty-net goal with 12.4 seconds left.

Carolina struck first near the end of an opening period in which they racked up 17 shots, with Tlusty's bad-angle attempt from the left boards caroming off the leg of Pittsburgh's Olli Maatta and trickling by Fleury just under 16 minutes in.

The Penguins answered a mere 43 seconds later, however, when Letang swooped in to poke a rebound of Nick Spaling's wrister into an open left side.

Carolina regained the upper hand early in the second, as a Pittsburgh turnover near center ice led to Dwyer beating Fleury glove-side with 2:54 elapsed in the stanza.

Pittsburgh again had a response, however, as Hornqvist took in a drop pass from Crosby in transition and rocketed the puck by Ward 4:08 prior to the second intermission.