Hurricanes goalie reaches milestone in win vs. Blues

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Cam Ward couldn't have picked a better way to record his 200th NHL victory.

The Carolina Hurricanes goalie stopped 40 shots Thursday night to reach the milestone, shutting out the NHL-leading St. Louis Blues with a 2-0 victory.

It was the 20th career shutout for Ward, tying Arturs Irbe for the most in a Hurricanes jersey. The 2006 Conn Smythe Trophy winner recorded his fourth shutout of the season.

"It means a lot to me," Ward said. "To win 200 games in this organization is something I'm proud of, but I don't want to stop now. ... We competed extremely hard. They've got a big, physical team and they've had a great season thus far."

Chad LaRose scored his 15th goal and Jeff Skinner his 20th, both in the final eight minutes.

"Cam was really strong tonight from start to finish and was really tracking the puck well," Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller said. "That was a nice milestone and a nice way to do it."

Brian Elliott stopped 28 shots for St. Louis, which is 13-2-2 against the Eastern Conference. The Blues had won the teams' other meeting this season, 3-2 in overtime on Oct. 21.

"We did a lot of good things," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "[But] when the game was on the line in the third period we didn't manage the puck well, and that was the difference in the hockey game."

St. Louis' Andy McDonald left the game late in the second after falling and hitting his right shoulder on the boards in a collision with Carolina's Tuomo Ruutu.