RALEIGH, N.C. — Karel Rachunek and Michael Nylander each had a goal and assist and the Rangers defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 4–1 last night.

Rachunek scored one of three power-play goals for the Rangers, who have won three straight.

Matt Cullen, who left Carolina to sign with the Rangers in the offseason, added two assists for New York. Brendan Shanahan and Pascal Dupuis, in his Rangers debut, also scored for New York.

Andrew Ladd scored for the Hurricanes, who lost All-Star winger Justin Williams midway through the second period with what the team called an upper-body injury. Defenseman Bret Hedican also left the game with a concussion.

The Rangers, three points out of the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, added Dupuis and Sean Avery for the playoff push. Both played a part in yesterday’s victory, the Rangers’ first at Carolina in six games.

Avery, acquired in a trade with Los Angeles on February 5, screened Carolina goalie Cam Ward on Rachunek’s power-play goal at 5:40 in the second period, which broke a 1–1 tie. Dupuis, traded from Minnesota on February 9, made it 3–1 with at 16:19 in the second. Cullen hit the cutting Dupuis in front of the net for an easy onetime finish.

Shanahan’s power-play goal, from Rachunek and Cullen, at 4:01 in the third period put New York up 4–1.

The team’s traded goals in a 43-second span at the end of the first period. Nylander’s power-play goal put the Rangers up 1–0 on an assist from Jaromir Jagr. Ladd and Eric Staal hooked up on a two-onone break to tie the score with 30 seconds left in the first period.

It was the Rangers first win at Carolina since December 31, 2002. Carolina played without injured forwards Cory Stillman (sprained knee) and Erik Cole (hip pointer).

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ISLANDERS 4, BRUINS 1 — Mike Sillinger scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period to lift the Islanders to a key 4–1 victory over the Boston Bruins last night.

Sillinger, who got the only assist on Jeff Tambellini’s first goal of the season in the opening period, shook off an injury and scored his 19th at 10:56. That gave the Islanders at least one standings point for the 11th time in 12 games (7–1–4).

New York, starting its second seven-game homestand of the season, moved into a three-way tie for eighth place in the Eastern Conference — one point behind Carolina. Boston is mired in 12th place, eight points behind the playoff cutoff. This was not how the Bruins wanted to begin a season-high, six-game road trip.

Rick DiPietro made 24 saves and allowed two goals or fewer for the sixth time in seven games. Randy Robitaille sealed the win with a goal with 3:15 left and another into an empty-net. Glen Murray scored for Boston, which lost for just the second time in six games.