TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 26 shots and Ben Clymer scored his first goal in nine games Saturday to break a scoreless tie as the Tampa Bay Lightning blanked the sputtering Carolina Hurricanes, 2-0.
Making his sixth straight start, Khabibulin made nine saves in the first period, eight in the second and nine in the third for his second shutout of the season and 23rd of his career. He also whitewashed Los Angeles on Oct. 25.
Clymer got credit for his fifth goal of the season and first since Oct. 27 when his wraparound from the left faceoff circle 12:08 into the third period caromed off the right skate of Carolina defenseman Glen Wesley, who was battling Tampa Bay's Fredrik Modin in the crease.
Tim Taylor added an empty-net goal with 17 seconds left when Josef Vasicek of the Hurricanes made an ill-advised drop pass in his own zone to teammate Sami Kapanen. Taylor dove and pushed it into the open net for his second goal of the season and second in as many games.
Carolina's Tom Barrasso stopped 23 shots but was victimized by a bad bounce as the Hurricanes' winless streak reached four games on the heels of a five-game unbeaten run.
Tampa Bay improved to 2-2-0 on a five-game homestand that concludes Tuesday against Anaheim.
