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RALEIGH -- Cam Ward stopped 18 shots to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-0 preseason victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night.

Casey Boyer and former Predator Scott Walker each had a goal and an assist, and Ray Whitney also scored for Carolina, which overcame a slow start and got its offense rolling late to improve to 2-0 in the preseason.

Ward, the MVP of the Hurricanes' run to their first Stanley Cup championship in 2006, seemed in midseason form in shutting down a Nashville offense that entered with eight goals in two games.

Dan Ellis -- who won the only start of his NHL career when he debuted with Dallas in 2004 -- stopped nine shots in two periods for Nashville before giving way to Pekka Rinne. He had 12 saves and was pulled with 1:42 remaining for an extra attacker.

More than half the players from Nashville's top three lines sat out, including captain Jason Arnott and right wing J.P. Dumont, while the Hurricanes held Justin Williams, Eric Staal and Erik Cole.

Nashville 0 0 0 -- 0

Carolina 0 1 2 -- 3

First Period--None.

Second Period--1, Carolina, Borer 1 (Walker, Wesley), 5:13 (sh).

Third Period--2, Carolina, Whitney 1 (Borer), 15.28. 3, Carolina, Walker 1 (Cullen, Stillman), 18:52.

Shots on goal--Nashville 7-6-5--18. Carolina 4-6-13--23.

Goalies--Nashville, Ellis, Rinne. Carolina, Ward. A--13,514 (18,730). T--NA.