RALEIGH, N.C. -- If this is the way it's going to be with the Carolina Hurricanes, they seem fine with all the close encounters.

"We've played so many of them," coach Bill Peters said. "You just get used to it."

Cam Ward made 27 saves and the Hurricanes survived another one-goal game, defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Friday night at PNC Arena.

The Hurricanes have played in one-goal results in five of their last six games.

Elias Lindholm, Lee Stempniak and Jay McClement scored for the Hurricanes, who increased their home-ice points streak to 11 consecutive games.

"It gives us confidence that we can beat teams like that," right winger Sebastian Aho said. "You can learn from these games."

Blackhawks defenseman Michal Kempny's first career goal came in his 25th game of the season.

Vinnie Hinostroza had Chicago's other goal.

Blackhawks goalie Scott Darling stopped 25 shots.

By the time Ward was called upon for a busy late-game stretch, he figured it was his turn to make sure the Hurricanes closed out a victory.

"We played an excellent first period and kind of dictated the play," Ward said. "I got a little excited at the end."

The Hurricanes, who have won four of their last five games, took a two-goal lead less than three minutes into the third period when McClement was left alone in front and unleashed a shot that Darling couldn't stop.

But Hinostroza was credited with a goal with 14:11 remaining to draw the Blackhawks within a goal. Jonathan Toews' shot went off Hinostroza's jersey and the puck went into the net past Ward.

Ward had his helmet jarred loose a couple of times. He said he was hit in the helmet by pucks up to five times during the game.

"I guess I was literally using my head," he said. "I don't ever remember being hit in the head that many times in a game."

Lindholm departed by the third period with an upper-body injury. Peters said his status for Saturday night at Tampa Bay was unknown.

Chicago is 1-3-1 in its last five games.

"It's a close game," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said of the latest result. "We did some decent things. ... Every game has been close like this all year long and we've been fortunate to win some of these games that went like that."

The Blackhawks lost center Marcus Kruger to an upper-body injury in the second period. Quenneville said he'll miss some game action.

Carolina, which led 2-1 after two periods, improved to 8-0-4 in games it has been outshot by an opponent.

Kempny's goal ignited a burst of scoring in about a three-minute span of the first period.

The Hurricanes struck less than two minutes after the opening goal when Lindholm cleaned up from Jordan Staal's rush.

Sixty-five seconds later, Stempniak whacked in a rebound after the puck bounced right to him off Darling's pads. It had been tipped by Aho, who received the primary assist.

That's what Quenneville called an uncharacteristic stretch for his team.

"I like the play we made on the goal and then they made a couple plays around our net that we were a little sloppy," he said. "We don't give up those kind of goals."

The Hurricanes had a 16-8 edge in first-period shots.

The Blackhawks, who were playing their third game in four nights, responded for a 10-6 advantage in shots during a scoreless second period. Carolina was in its second game in a week.

The game drew an announced attendance of 18,016, the second-largest home crowd for Carolina this season behind the home opener against the New York Rangers.

NOTES: C Andrew Desjardins and D Brian Campbell were back in Chicago's lineup after sitting out Thursday night against Nashville. ... Carolina D Justin Faulk missed his second game in a row with a lower-body injury in what the team has determined is a week-to-week situation. ... Hurricanes LW Teuvo Teravainen played against his former team for the first time. ... Carolina F Bryan Bickell, who had been with the Blackhawks until an offseason trade, met with many of his former teammates. He has been on injured reserve since mid-November after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. … The teams meet again next Friday in Chicago. ... The Hurricanes play Saturday night at Tampa Bay. ... The Blackhawks are off until Monday's outdoor game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, where they conclude a three-game road swing.