RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes took advantage of the right kind of friendly bounce and that resulted in another home victory.

Jordan Staal scored on a strange deflection to break a third-period tie as the Hurricanes pulled away for a 5-3 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night at PNC Arena.

"It was back and forth and it was a good game and we were very fortunate," Staal said. "It's always important to go to the net and tonight was no different. It was a nice to get one that was a little more greasy than others."

Staal's goal, which came with 16:10 remaining, was his first in eight games. The tally came following a line change, with Elias Lindholm's shot hitting off Staal's mid-section and the puck ending up in the net.

Jeff Skinner, Derek Ryan and Brock McGinn scored in the second period for the Hurricanes (19-15-7), who won 12 of their last 14 home games (12-1-1). Victor Rask added an empty-net goal with 20 seconds to play.

"Once we got our feet moving and got in on the forecheck, things started happening for us," said Skinner, who had a three-point night by adding two assists.

Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward, who started his 17th consecutive game, made 24 saves. That included 13 stops in the last period.

"I thought we played much better in the third, but we had some really good chances and I think that's when Ward played really well," Columbus coach John Tortorella said.

Carolina has scored at least four goals in its last three victories.

"As long as we play good defense, the goals can come," Rask said.

Cam Atkinson, Josh Anderson and Brandon Saad were credited with goals for Columbus (28-8-4), which has the best record in the NHL but lost for the third time in the last four games after winning 16 in a row.

The Blue Jackets were 0-for-4 on power plays.

"Our power play didn't work and we've got to give them some credit," Tortorella said. "They've had good penalty-killing all year long."

Columbus goalie Anton Forsberg, making his first NHL start of the season, faced only one shot in the first 13 minutes and posted 23 saves.

Forsberg was pressed into duty a day after a promotion from the AHL because Sergei Bobrovsky, who leads the NHL with 26 victories, became ill.

"Coming up as a backup, now all of a sudden he's in net," Tortorella said of Forsberg. "Good process for him."

The Hurricanes scored twice in the opening five minutes of the second period to grab a brief 2-1 lead, but the score was tied at 3-3 going to the third period.

Carolina got on the board on a slow-developing sequence, but when Rask shoved the puck into the slot, Skinner arrived to a take a shot. The goal at 2:01 of the middle period tied the game 1-1.

Then, Skinner went to work again, with a blast from inside the blue line in transition. When Forsberg failed to collect the puck and it trickled away, Ryan buzzed past and knocked it in at 4:57.

At 8:01 of the middle period, the Blue Jackets benefitted from a fluttering puck that hit Ward's shoulder and dropped into the net. Anderson was credited with an unassisted goal.

The Hurricanes took advantage of a delayed penalty to go back on top on McGinn's second goal of the season at 13:58. McGinn waited in front of the net and converted off Matt Tennyson's pass after the defenseman circled behind the net.

Saad pulled the Blue Jackets even at 19:05. He kept the puck on a two-on-one rush and scored when Ward slowed down the puck but didn't stop it.

Atkinson opened the scoring 68 seconds into the game when the Hurricanes broke down after the puck went behind the net. It was his team-leading 20th goal.

NOTES: The Blue Jackets recalled G Joonas Korpisalo before the game from Cleveland of the American Hockey League to serve as the backup to G Sergei Bobrovsky, who was nursing an illness. G Curtis McElhinney was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier on Tuesday. ... Bobrovsky, D Seth Jones and coach John Tortorella will represent Columbus at the NHL All-Star Game later this month. ... D Justin Faulk will be Carolina's lone representative at the All-Star Game. ... The Hurricanes activated C Elias Lindholm before the game, while F Andrej Nestrasil cleared waivers and was assigned to Charlotte of the AHL. ... Columbus visits Tampa Bay on Friday night. ... The Hurricanes play the third contest of a four-game homestand Friday night against Buffalo.