NHL: Carolina 5, Atlanta 3

ATLANTA, March 19 (UPI) -- Trevor Letowski, Sergei Samsonov, Eric Staal, Eric Cole and Joe Jensen scored goals Wednesday to lead the Carolina Hurricanes past Atlanta 5-3.

Letowski, Samsonov (unassisted) and Staal gave Carolina a 3-0 lead after the first period.

Staal's 35th came at 15:33 of the first. Jensen's first goal of the season, at 3:35 of the second, turned out to be the game winner.

Jeff Hamilton had two assists, while goaltender Cam Ward made 30 saves on 33 Atlanta shots for the Hurricanes, who won for the seventh time in their last eight games in their quest to finish the regular season atop the Southeast Division ahead of the Washington Capitals.

Atlanta got one goal each from Bryan Little, Steve McCarthy and Slava Kozlov. McCarthy's first at 4:56 of the second brought Atlanta within 3-2.

Johan Hedberg was beaten five times on 33 shots for the Thrashers, who have dropped four in a row but remain in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.