RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 12 (UPI) -- Pavel Bure registered just three shots on net in his return Wednesday night as the Florida Panthers fell to the Carolina Hurricanes, 4-1.
After the previous seven games with a concussion, Bure also recorded four missed shots and finished at minus-1. The Hurricanes held the two-time NHL goal scoring champion without a shot until the final 86 seconds of the second period.
Without Bure in the lineup, Florida won just twice in seven games and had managed just eight goals in its six previous contests.
Carolina captured its third straight victory as Bates Battaglia had two goals and an assist and Tom Barrasso made 28 saves.
Battaglia tallied in the opening 90 seconds by tipping a slap shot by defenseman Sean Hill. He registered his second at 1:32 of the second period, finishing off a flurry of shots by lifting the puck over goaltender Roberto Luongo.
Battaglia, who celebrates his 26th birthday Thursday, notched his 100th NHL point with his second goal. He nearly recorded a hat trick with less than five seconds to play but fired wide of the net.
With Team USA coach Herb Brooks scouting Barrasso as a possible candidate for the Olympic squad, the goalie played just under 45 minutes of shutout hockey before Jason Weimer spoiled his shutout, making it 4-1.
Barrasso preserved the Hurricanes' three-goal lead with 10 minutes to play when he made a pad save on Nicklas Hagman's point-blank shot.
Martin Gelinas and Erik Cole also scored for Carolina.
The Panthers replaced starting goaltender Roberto Luongo six minutes into the second period after he allowed four goals on nine shots. Trevor Kidd came on and finished with eight saves.
