NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Even the New York Rangers can score with a two-man advantage.
Petr Nedved scored New York's first power-play goal of the season and Jamie Lundmark tallied 56 seconds later as the Rangers concluded a six-game homestand with a 4-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Rangers were 0-for-32 on the power play this season before Nedved capitalized on a 5-on-3. Josef Vasicek was penalized for holding and Bob Boughner for interference, setting up the two-man advantage.
"The 5-on-3 was a questonable call," Hurricanes defenseman Bret Hedican said. "It's a tough team to go 5-on-3 against, and that cost us the game."
Nedved gave the Rangers the lead for good, 2-1, with 7:48 left in the second period. Mark Messier provided a screen just above the crease and Nedved put a hard snap shot from the right hashmark over the right shoulder of goaltender Kevin Weekes.
"Sooner or later, I thought we were going to get a power-play goal," Rangers coach Glen Sather said. "I'm happy it happened. It's better than waiting 'til Christmas."
"For sure, we've been getting the chances," added Nedved, whose three goals have come in the last four games. "Hopefully, we've got more coming."
New York's ensuing 5-on-4 power play just expired when Lundmark threw a puck in front of the net from the right corner and watched it carom off Weekes' right skate and into the net. It was Lundmark's first goal of the season.
"I got a lucky goal there," Lundmark admitted. "Things kind of went from there."
Just before Nedved's goal, Mike Dunham made a huge save on Craig Adams, stacking his pads to deny an uncontested shot in front of the net and keep the game tied. Dunham stopped 29 shots.
"Mike's been terrific," Sather said. "He's been square to the shooter and quick on his feet. He's been sharp."
Anson Carter scored a shorthanded goal in the first period and Messier added a third-period tally for the Rangers, who concluded a 3-1-2 homestand.
"The team played really well tonight," Lundmark said. "We came out and executed the system really well."
Lundmark began the night on the fourth line and ended it with Mark Messier and Matthew Barnaby, bumped up when Chris Simon was ejected for the third time this season.
Simon delivered a shoulder-to-shoulder hit along the boards in the neutral zone with 4:02 left in the first period, but Erik Cole slammed his head against the boards and lay motionless on the ice.
Simon was given a major for boarding and a game misconduct, although he and Sather didn't know why.
"I don't know what I did wrong," Simon said. "I thought it was shoulder to shoulder."
"It could have cost us a hockey game," Sather added. "Maybe I'm looking at the TV wrong, but it's not like he's shot. I thought they were going to have to bring out the ambulance to get the guy off the ice. He didn't even fake it very well."
New York ended up opening the scoring on the Hurricanes' power play as Carter netted his first goal of the season with 1:53 left in the first period.
Defenseman Vladimir Malakhov stole a puck inside the blue line and skated down the left wing on a 3-on-1 before feeding a wide-open Carter at the right goalpost.
"I wasn't happy about that," Weekes said. "I thought Malakhov was going to shoot. He made a very savvy pass."
Vasicek tied it 25 seconds into the second, swiping a third attempt past Dunham at the right post. Vasicek has five goals this season and each of Carolina's last four. He had a hat trick in Tuesday's 3-0 win over San Jose.
With Carolina trying to fight back from a 3-1 deficit, rookie Eric Staal hit the left post from up close with 13:08 remaining.
Messier put away the game 3:16 later, scoring his third goal of the season off a nice feed from Barnaby. It was Messier's 1,848th point, two behind Gordie Howe for second place in NHL history.
Weekes made 22 saves for the Hurricanes, who had their unbeaten run halted at six games (2-0-4).
