The Carolina Hurricanes won one for the coach in Montreal. After trailing 3-2 going into the third period, the Canes struck three times to defeat Coach Kirk Muller’s former team. The 5-3 victory was Muller’s first against his old team and it took a gutsy effort by the Hurricanes who lost Tuomo Ruutu to injury early in the game. Eric Staal scored two goals, including the tying goal, while Jamie McBain scored the go-ahead goal late.

Canes color analyst Tripp Tracy said it was an especially big game for the Hurricanes who play seven of their next eight games at home. “This if more than just a victory,” Tracy said. “This is a victory that you put an asterisk next to that represents how hard this team is playing for each other and for the coach.”

Prior to the game, the Canadiens were 19-2 when leading after two periods plus they were on a four-game win streak.

Doug Warf, Senior Director of Marketing for the Carolina Hurricanes and Executive Director of the Kids ‘N Community Foundation, today announced that Hurricanes rookie defenseman Justin Faulk will be on hand at the Carolina Ale House in Cary (2240 Walnut St.) on Wednesday, Feb. 15, from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m., to promote the Paper Hearts and Magnet Campaign.

While at the Carolina Ale House, Faulk will join Raleigh’s Capital City Crew at the team’s end-of-year banquet, hosted by the Carolina Ale House. He will then help promote the Paper Hearts and Magnets Campaign by selling paper hearts and magnets to restaurant guests. This portion of the event is open to the public.

This marks the fifth year that the Carolina Ale House has partnered with the Kids ‘N Community Foundation for this fundraising campaign. The paper hearts, which can be signed by the purchasing patron, cost $1 and are hung in each respective location. Newly designed “Canes Candy Hearts” magnets, are $3 each and can be kept by the purchaser. For a list of Carolina Ale House locations, please visit www.carolinaalehouse.com. The 2011 Paper Hearts Campaign raised $13,009 for the Kids ‘N Community Foundation.

Carolina Ale House, established in Raleigh, NC in 1999, is a high-energy, sports-themed restaurant concept. The group currently operates 18 locations; six locations in the Triangle, locations in Wilmington, Fayetteville, Greenville and Charlotte, NC, a small outlet in Terminal 2 of RDU International Airport, four locations in South Carolina, one in Georgia and two in South Florida. The concept is also expanding to Jacksonville, NC, Glenwood South in Raleigh and Doral, FL in 2012.

The Carolina Hurricanes visit the Montreal Canadiens tonight at the Bell Centre for the final game of a three-game road trip (7:30 p.m., FOX Sports Carolinas HD, Hurricanes Radio Network). The Hurricanes will host the San Jose Sharks on Friday, Feb. 17, in their next game at the RBC Center.

– News release