A poor first period and a mediocre power play put a grinding halt to the red-hot homestand for the Carolina Hurricanes.  
 

The Canes fell behind by two goals in the opening 20 minutes, then missed some golden opportunities to jump back into the game on the power play late to fall to the streaking New York Rangers 4-2 Thursday night, losing in regulation at the RBC Center for the first time since Jan. 22 – a span of nine games. 
 

“We talked about coming out and having the right amount of intensity and doing the things we wanted to be doing and it wasn’t there,” said Erik Cole, who scored both Carolina goals. “It was probably our worst period we’ve played over the last several games. Against a team like that, and at this point of the season, you’ve got a play a full 60 minutes.” 
 

Carolina fell behind 3-0 and were outshot 22-6 before Cole notched his 16th of the season 7:39 into the second. But the Canes couldn’t crack Henrik Lundqvist any further in the period and trailed 3-1 heading into the third. 
 

Cole’s first two-goal game since Dec. 9 – near the tail end of a four-minute power play in which Cole had his lip bloodied by a Marc Staal stick – got the Canes within one goal with 15:06 left. 
 

And Carolina would get another two minutes with the man advantage on a holding call once Staal left the box. But older brother Eric Staal hit the outside of the net on a scramble in front in a failed attempt to tie the score. Thirty-four seconds after the New York penalty expired, Brendan Shanahan gave the Rangers their third two-goal lead of the night, helping seal his team’s third straight win and at least a point in eight straight.
 

“That goal Shanahan scored was my fault,” Cole said. “I’ve got to make a play at the line to get the puck deep and get off the ice. When that doesn’t happen I’ve got to be able to turn and play good defense. That cost us there and it certainly took a lot of momentum out of our sails.” 
 

“We’ll look back and watch the tape and realize there were a lot of things we needed to do better,” added coach Peter Laviolette. “We talked about a lot of things we needed to do against them but we didn’t get it done when we needed to get it done.”  
 

Tuomo Ruutu was in the lineup despite receiving 40 stitches in his Carolina debut Tuesday against New Jersey and once again was throwing his weight around. But the Canes were dominated in the face-off circle and couldn’t muster enough good chances against one of the best defensive teams in the Eastern Conference. 
 

Carolina came into the game averaging 42.8 shots over its last four games, but managed just 28 against the Rangers, who also won 32 of 54 draws. 
 

“I don’t think this is the time of the season where we can afford to make any excuses,” Cam Ward said. “We played well in spurts, but it wasn’t a complete 60 minutes. Clearly they were ready to play and we weren’t.”  
 

Keith Aucoin came within inches of giving the Canes an early 1-0 lead when he hit the right post 55 seconds into the game. But it was the Rangers who ended up drawing first blood three minutes later when Brandon Dubinsky beat Ward on a nifty backhander off a Bret Hedican turnover. 
 

Ward kept the Canes close two minutes later when he stoned Blair Betts on a shorthanded breakaway and then made four saves on a New York power play. However, he allowed one he wished he had back to Sean Avery with 43.6 seconds left as the Canes fell behind by two after 20 minutes, being outshot 15-5. 
 

Carolina’s six-game homestand ends Saturday against struggling Southeast Division rival Tampa Bay.  The Canes remained five points ahead of idle Washington with 15 games left. 
 

“We know they play us tough every single time,” Ward said. “We know they’re going to be ready for us. At this stage of the season every game is huge.”
 

NOTES: Tim Gleason missed his second game of the season with a head injury. … The Rangers have outscored opponents 62-39 in the first period. … Patrick Eaves picked up his first point with Carolina when he assisted on the Cole goal. … After going without a goal for eight games Cole has five in his last 10. … Staal had a team-high seven shots on goal … Ray Whitney missed most of the third period with a banged up leg.