Benn Scores Twice To Help Stars Top Hurricanes 5-2

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Jamie Benn scored twice, including a shorthanded goal, to lead the Dallas Stars to a 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.

Michael Ryder added a goal and an assist, and Erik Nystrom and Stephane Robidas also scored for Dallas, which is off to a 10-3-0 start. Loui Eriksson had three assists for the Stars, two of them on Benn's goals.

Chad LaRose and Tuomo Ruutu scored power-play goals for Carolina, which dropped its second straight in the only meeting between these teams this season.

Kari Lehtonen had 30 saves for Dallas to improve to 10-1-0.

Carolina starter Cam Ward stopped 10 of 14 shots before being pulled for Brian Boucher at 3:48 of the second with the Stars up 4-1.

Nystrom gave the Stars the lead on a rush at 5:20 of the first, beating Ward high to the glove side from the left circle on Vernon Fiddler's assist from the high slot.

Robidas made it 2-0 on the power play with 7:05 left in the period, scoring through traffic from the high slot with an assist from Mike Ribiero.

LaRose came back with a power-play goal for Carolina less than 30 seconds later, backhanding the puck past Lehtonten's stick side.

But Benn made it 3-1 with 28 seconds left in the first, receiving Eriksson's backhanded pass from behind the goal on the doorstep and slamming it past Ward.

Notes: Dallas has won five of the last six games in the series. ... Benn has points in five straight games. ... The contest ended a three-game homestand for Carolina, which still has seven home games and five away the rest of the month. ... Stars C Steve Ott (lower-body injury) missed his second straight game. ... Hurricanes LW Jussi Jokinen (lower-body injury) also missed his second straight game.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)