RALEIGH, N.C. -- Justin Faulk, one of the game's most lethal offensive defenseman, was inexplicably coming up empty almost halfway through the season, sitting on one goal.

All that changed Saturday night in a big way for the three-time All-Star.

Faulk scored twice to snap a two-month scoring drought and Teuvo Teravainen matched a career high with three assists as the streaking Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-2.

"I don't think I've been doing more than I normally do or pressing, if anything I've tried doing less and things haven't been going well," Faulk said. "I've tried to simplify things and I'm not a big fan of playing that way. I told someone the other day that if I can get back to playing with the puck more and making plays and not just looking to get rid of it that's when I'm at my best."

With Faulk providing his first game-winner of the season, Carolina (16-12-7) won for the fifth time in its last six games to move four games over the NHL version of .500 for the first time this season heading into the Christmas break. Cam Ward also improved to 7-0-1 in his last nine appearances in net for the Hurricanes.

"I'm just having fun, enjoying the opportunity to play and trying to make the most of it," said Ward, who started consecutive games for only the second time this season. "The guys have confidence in whoever is in the net and tonight was my turn. We didn't give them a lot. They made two good plays on their two goals but other than that it was a relatively easy night for myself and that's a compliment to the guys. We competed and we were real crisp in our play."

Meanwhile, Buffalo (9-20-7) was swept in the season series for the second straight season, losing six in a row to the Hurricanes by a combined 22-11.

Faulk, who scored a combined 48 goals over the last three seasons, last scored Oct. 29 -- a span of 24 games -- as the Carolina defensive corps came into the game with only 12 goals in 34 games. He finished with a season-high seven shots.

"I've been through slumps before, and I don't like to have them and it's not fun to be in them," Faulk said. "It made me know that if I continue to work and continue to do the right things that good things will come and I will find a way out of it."

Jordan Staal put Carolina up 2-0 with a 5-on-3 goal, his 10th of the season, less than two minutes into the second period to get the Hurricanes rolling offensively after they managed only six first-period shots.

Faulk scored twice in less than seven minutes as Carolina took a 4-1 lead.

Buffalo got second-period goals from Nathan Beaulieu -- his first of the season -- and Zemgus Girgensons to keep the Sabres within striking distance.

Sebastian Aho scored 33 seconds into the game from the slot, notching his eighth of the season and first in seven games. The goal came seconds after Carolina's first shot of the game off the stick of Teravainen caught Chad Johnson up high, appearing to sting the Buffalo goalie.

"We understand this team likes to come out and establish territory right off and the bat and we weren't ready to play," said Buffalo coach Phil Housley. "Carolina has been playing some good hockey. It's tough to start on the road 1-0 on the first shift of the game."

Carolina scored opening-minute goals in consecutive games for the third time in franchise history and for the first time since January 1990.

"We've been preaching good starts and once again we got off to a good one," Ward said. "When you capitalize that early and give yourself a cushion it always makes it easier."

NOTES: C Ryan O'Reilly, Buffalo's third-leading scorer, missed his first game of the season for personal reasons. The team said his wife is expecting a child and he returned to Buffalo. ... Buffalo began a season-long seven-game road trip against Carolina ... Sabres D Rasmus Ristolainen played his 300th career game. ... Carolina is 12-4-2 in its last 18 games against Buffalo. ... The Sabres were held without a goal in the first period and have only 15 first-period goals in 36 games -- worst in the league. ... Carolina has scored first in nine of its last 12 games. ... Carolina LW Jeff Skinner extended his point streak to four games with an assist on D Justin Faulk's second goal.