Wheeler's two goals blow away Hurricanes

RALEIGH, North Carolina: Blake Wheeler scored two goals to spark the surging Boston Bruins to a 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes and their seventh consecutive victory on Saturday.

Wheeler scored twice within four minutes in the second period for the Eastern Conference leaders who have won 12 of their last 13 games.

"When you have chemistry with your line mates, you look for each other out there," Wheeler told reporters. "We're moving pucks to each other because we feel confident the other guy is going to do a good job.

"That's what you have to do to get on a roll and stay on a roll."

Matt Cullen opened the scoring for Carolina in the first period, while they levelled the score at 2-2 on Anton Babchuk's goal 10:58 into the second.

Boston's Michael Ryder snapped the tie in the third before Chuck Kobasew added an empty-netter with just seconds remaining.

Ryder's goal came after he forced a turnover by the Hurricanes' Rod Brind'Amour and got the puck back for a laser shot past Carolina goalie Cam Ward, who made 18 saves.

Boston net minder Tim Thomas, who made 29 saves, thought the close game was good for the Bruins.

"They pushed us, especially in the second period," Thomas said.

"It's actually in the long run good for us, I think, to get pushed by a team like this."

Agencies

(China Daily 12/29/2008 page12)