NHL: Florida 4, Carolina 1

RALEIGH, N.C., March 19 (UPI) -- Jacob Markstrom stopped 33-of-34 shots and Filip Kuba set up two third-period goals Tuesday in the Florida Panthers' 4-1 win over Carolina.

Markstrom improved to 2-5-1 on the season with the performance, which included 17 saves in the first period.

After Tomas Fleischmann broke a scoreless tie 7:39 into the third, Kuba assisted on goals only 1 minute apart from Marcel Goc and Shawn Matthias, putting the Panthers firmly in control.

Jerred Smithson added an empty-netter for last-place Florida, which broke a six-game losing streak.

Dan Ellis turned aside 40 shots for the slumping Hurricanes, who dropped a fourth straight contest.

Jordan Staal got Carolina's only goal.