Eric Staal scores four

Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -Eric Staal had his best offensive game, and helped the Carolina Hurricanes continue their playoff push.
Staal tied franchise records with four goals and six points and the surging Hurricanes hammered the Tampa Bay Lightning 9-3 on Saturday night.
"That's one of those games that don't happen very often," Staal said. "It was a good win for our team, which was the bottom line. But it's fun getting points and being on the offensive side of the game. I've been on the other end of it before."
It was the third time - the first since Ron Francis on Feb. 12, 1984, against Edmonton - that a Hartford-Carolina player had four goals. Staal's six-point night was the fourth in franchise history. He has 32 goals this season, and has five goals and 12 points during a five-game point streak.
Tuomo Ruutu had two goals and three assists, and Erik Cole added four assists for the Hurricanes, who have won seven of nine. Anton Babchuk, Joe Corvo and Rod Brind'Amour had the other Carolina goals.