RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Radek Dvorak and Mike York scored first-period goals Thursday night as the New York Rangers extended their winning streak to a season-high four games and completed a home-and-home sweep with a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.
New York had grabbed leads in the opening two minutes of their previous three games.
John MacLean scored twice, including the 400th goal of his career in helping New York win four in a row for the first time since taking five straight from Nov. 29-Dec. 7, 1998.
The Rangers also continued their move in the Eastern Conference, where the sixth- and 11th-place teams are separated by only six points. New York is tied with Pittsburgh for seventh place.
Carolina is 11th, four points behind the Rangers, after losing two of three meetings between the teams in the past 12 days. The Hurricanes have dropped five in a row for the first time since the end of the 1997-98 season.
