Updated

Steve Mason made 29 saves and Columbus' penalty-killers turned back the Carolina Hurricanes in a 3-2 victory on Saturday night.

Derek MacKenzie scored twice and Samuel Pahlsson added a goal for Columbus, which snapped a seven-game losing streak (0-4-3).

Jeff Skinner and Tuomo Ruutu had goals, and Cam Ward made 25 saves in a losing effort as Carolina dropped its fourth straight — damaging its playoff hopes.

The Hurricanes, ninth in the Eastern Conference, remained two points below the postseason cutoff.

Columbus began the night in 12th place in the Western Conference, 10 points and four spots below eighth-place Calgary.

The Blue Jackets killed four two-man disadvantages and scored a short-handed goal. Overall, Carolina was 0 for 9 on the power play.

The Blue Jackets came in ranked 23rd in the NHL in penalty killing, but they shut down Carolina's power play — also ranked 23rd.

Columbus took a 1-0 lead when Pahlsson cleaned up Derek Dorsett's rebound for a short-handed goal 4:44 into the game.

The Blue Jackets doubled their advantage early in the second when MacKenzie ripped a slap shot while skating in from the wing. Ward couldn't come up with the glove save 42 seconds into the period.

The Hurricanes spent much of the later part of the period on the power play, but they couldn't sneak the puck past Mason.

The longest of Carolina's 5-on-3 power plays lasted 1:13 of the second period. The other two were 37 and 22 seconds. The Hurricanes also pulled Ward for an extra skater while on the power play in the waning seconds.

Skinner took a saucer pass from Erik Cole and sped past the Blue Jackets' defense before beating Mason to the glove side 9:16 into the third period to bring Carolina within 2-1.

Carolina's Jussi Jokinen missed an open net in the closing minutes before MacKenzie scored an empty-net insurance goal with 1:01 remaining.

Ruutu then one-timed a shot through Mason's legs with 33.6 seconds left to make it a one-goal game again but Columbus hung on for the win.

Notes: Carolina D Jamie McBain missed the game because of an undisclosed upper body injury sustained Friday at Washington. Columbus is 18-2-1 when leading after two periods. The last time Carolina went at least four games without winning was Nov. 23-30, 2009.