RALEIGH, N.C. -- Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller wasnt sure how his team would respond after Tuesdays game at Buffalo was postponed by a blizzard. With the way Carolina is playing right now, it is going to take more than a change in plans to throw off the Hurricanes rhythm. Jordan Staal had a goal and three assists, and Jeff Skinner extended his offensive surge with a goal and an assist to lead the Hurricanes to a 6-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night. It was Carolinas fifth consecutive win. "That game cancelled in Buffalo gave us an extra day or two of rest," Muller said. "I think it really helped us. We had fresh legs and everyone contributing." John-Michael Liles, Patrick Dwyer, Zach Boychuk and Elias Lindholm also scored for the Hurricanes. Liles was playing against his former team for the first time -- Carolina sent defenceman Tim Gleason to Toronto for Liles on Jan. 1. "Its just nice to be wanted and to feel like I have a place," Liles said. "It allows me to be confident and play my game. I think we have a great group of guys on the team -- theyve welcomed me, and its been a nice fit so far." Skinners goal was his 17th in his last 17 games, and he improved his point streak to a career-high six games, with seven goals and five assists in that stretch. Lindholm had three points in his first game back with Carolina after playing for Sweden in the World Junior Championship. Anton Khudobin made 25 saves for the Hurricanes to improve his record to 6-0-0. Khudobin missed more than two months earlier this season with an ankle injury. "This game was, by far, the easiest game," Khudobin said. Joffrey Lupul scored for the Maple Leafs. James Reimer made 30 saves. Toronto has lost three in a row by a combined score of 18-5 after defeating Detroit in the Winter Classic on New Years Day. "We are standing still," Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said. "We are watching teams skate. We are not engaged in the hockey game at the level that is required to give ourselves a chance at success." The Hurricanes took immediate control of the game. Boychuk opened the scoring 2:33 in, when his backhand shot deflected off the stick of Gleason and beat Reimer. It was Boychuks first goal of the year. The Hurricanes made it 2-0 exactly 6 minutes later following a long stretch of sustained pressure on the power play. The puck eventually got to Lindholm, who set up Staal for a one-timer in the slot. Reimer stopped that shot, but Skinner cleaned up the rebound. Following lopsided losses to the New York Rangers and the New York Islanders in its previous two games, Toronto appeared lethargic for much of the night, but the Maple Leafs did manage to close the deficit to 2-1 a little less than 6 minutes after Skinners goal. Mason Raymond won the puck on the forecheck behind the Hurricanes net and centred to Lupul, who scored from the top of the crease. Carolina reclaimed its two-goal lead with 2:27 left in the first period on Dwyers goal. After another long stretch of offensive zone pressure, Dwyer scored when his wrist shot through traffic went through Reimers legs. "Youve just got to find a way to make a save there to keep your team in it," Reimer said. The Hurricanes then made the score 4-1 early in the second when Liles scored on a snap shot on a 3-on-1 break. It was the first goal for the defenceman since he was traded to Carolina. Staal added a short-handed goal 25 seconds into the third period, and Lindholm finished the scoring with a 5-on-3 goal in the final 70 seconds. NOTES: Carolina played its second straight game without captain Eric Staal, who has a lower-body injury. ... The Hurricanes were playing for the first time since Sunday after Tuesdays game in Buffalo was postponed because of a blizzard. ... Gleason was honoured with a video montage in the first period and received a hearty ovation from the crowd. . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. [url=http://www.jerseysbroncosshop.com/Womens-Authentic-Jeff-Heuerman-Broncos-Je... Heuerman Broncos Jersey .ca NBA Power Rankings, ahead of the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. htt... . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. [url=http://www.jerseysbroncosshop.com/Womens-Virgil-Green-Authentic-Jersey/]Vir... Green Jersey . LUCIE, Fla. . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon was more than happy to wait until the early morning hours for what he called an incredible victory. David DeJesus ended a nearly seven-hour game with a one-out RBI single in the 18th inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays took over sole possession of the top AL wild-card spot by beating the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 on Friday night. "Obviously, both teams really battled extremely hard," Maddon said. "You know both teams wanted to win it badly. To win that game means a lot based on the time of the year that it is." Tampa Bay started its game at 7:11 p.m., tied with Texas atop a crowded race for the two AL wild cards. By the time it ended 6 hours, 54 minutes later -- a record in time for both teams -- the Rays were a half-game ahead of Cleveland, which beat Houston 2-1 in a rain-shortened game. The Rangers lost to Kansas City 2-1 and dropped a half-game behind. Baltimore is 2 1/2 back. "Thats everything right there that you play 162 games for," Tampa Bays Chris Gimenez said. "Ive never been a part of a game that long. To win it, especially how we did it, I hope this is something we can take and kind of run with. It couldnt happen at a better time, Ill tell you that much. Its a huge win for us. The only thing we can control is how we go out and play. If we win, were in. Got that Al Davis mentality, Just win baby." Desmond Jennings had a one-out double in the 18th off Bud Norris (10-12) -- the Orioles 10th pitcher and one of a big league-record 21 used in the game. After Yunel Escobar walked, DeJesus won it on his line single to centre, ending the Rays longest game in franchise history and setting off a wild celebration. Luke Scott of the Rays came onto the field wearing a Chewbacca mask, while Jamey Wright dressed like a member of the rock band Kiss. Now the AL East rivals get to do it all over again at 1:05 p.m. Saturday. The Miami Marlins beat the New York Mets 2-1 in 20 innings earlier this season, the longest game by innings in three years. That game only took 6 hours, 25 minutes. Jeremy Hellickson (12-9), Sundays scheduled starter, allowed one hit in 2 1-3 innings of relief. Maddon said a decision on who will pitch Sunday has not been made.dddddddddddd Ben Zobrist drove in the tying run in the seventh with an RBI single off Kevin Gausman after the Rays blew a 3-2 lead in the top half. Adam Jones greeted reliever Alex Torres with an RBI double and Danny Valencia had a sacrifice fly to give Baltimore the temporary lead. After Zobrist tied it, the teams traded zeros long into the night. From the eighth inning on, the Orioles had just two hits. The Rays had six. "Two teams wanted something very baldy and thats why those game go on like that," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "The games not always fair that night, but it usually evens out. Were all operating under the same umbrella and its part of the job description that you know, going in, theres going to be some times that will be challenging." Tampa Bay loaded the bases with two outs in the 15th, but failed to score when Tim Beckham was retired on a hard grounder to second. The Rays grabbed a 2-0 advantage in the first. Zobrist had an RBI double and later scored when first baseman Chris Davis was charged with an error for misplaying Matt Joyces grounder. Tampa Bay went ahead 3-0 during the second when slow-footed catcher Jose Molina doubled, went to third when Escobar hit a fly ball and scored on DeJesus sacrifice fly. Molina received a standing ovation after scoring. Orioles starter Jason Hammel, winless in his last 12 starts since beating Washington on May 27, gave up three runs and six hits over five innings. Tampa Bay left-hander David Price, who has gone five starts without a victory, allowed two runs and nine hits in his five-plus innings. "Devastating obviously," Orioles third baseman Manny Machado said. "It would have been much better if we had come out on top." NOTES: There were 593 pitches, 301 by the Rays and 292 by Baltimore, thrown in the game. ... Machado got hit around right hand by Jake McGees pitch in the seventh, but remained in the game. ... Jennings was a late scratch due to neck stiffness. He had a pinch-hit infield single in the 9th and stayed in the game to play centre. ... Tampa Bay recalled RHP Jake Odorizzi from Triple-A Durham. [url=http://www.cheapjerseyscustom.us.com/]cheap custom jerseys wholesale jerseys store cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '