After blowing a lead to the Buffalo Sabres, the Carolina Hurricanes prevailed in a shootout 2-1 Saturday night in PNC Arena.
The Canes (13-11-7) have earned at least a point in nine-straight games on home ice, an 8-0-1 stretch dating back to a 5-1 win over the Washington Capitals Nov. 12. After losing a lead late against the Capitals at home last night and falling in the shootout, the Canes were able to come back and grab two points after losing another lead to the Sabres (12-11-7).
“I thought we did a very good job in overtime,” Lee Stempniak said. “We had the puck a lot, we had some good chances. It’s good to get the win in the shootout. Those points make up the difference and the end of the year and we haven’t been getting our fair share, so it’s nice to come out and get that [second] point and hopefully give us a little more confidence heading into the extra session.
The Canes struck first with just under six minutes to play in the opening period. Forward Jay McClement drove to the crease with two Sabres in front of him, and the rebound of his blocked shot came right back to forward Joakim Nordstrom who gave the Canes a 1-0 lead.
The Hurricanes nearly made it 2-0 with under a minute left in the first, but a snap shot by forward Victor Rask in the dead slot narrowly missed as it struck the goal post.
The second period was sluggish for both teams in this game, as Carolina and Buffalo combined for ten shots on goal. However, the Canes had a few golden opportunities to extend their lead—missing empty nets on a number of occasions—but took a one-goal cushion into the locker room.
“When it was one nothing, I thought we could have made it two, three, four,” head coach Bill Peters said. “Rasker’s [Rask] post, Rasker’s rebound…they had multiple opportunities there. [The Sabres] were down in the third and they did a good job coming with a push.”
Those missed chances would come back to haunt the Canes in the final period, as the Sabres pressed hard for the equalizer as the game went down the stretch, and finally capitalized with 2:37 to play. Defenseman Jake McCabe put a shot on Ward from the point, and forward Evander Kane tipped it in, tying the game at one.
Both teams had a couple chances the rest of regulation, but neither could convert as the Canes headed to overtime for the second game in a row.
The Canes dominated time of possession in overtime and had a few good chances to end the game, but could not convert as the game moved to a shootout. Ward, who had a strong game saving 23-of-24 shots and making some big stops in the shootout and overtime, saved perhaps his two biggest saves for the shootout as he stopped Sabres forwards Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel to grab the win.
“To come up with the shootout win, those are pretty rare with me,” Ward joked after the game. “They certainly feel good. There’s only one way to get over what happens in the shootout, by going after them, and today I felt more relaxed and calm than I did last night.”
The Canes will wrap up their four-game homestand with a visit from the Detroit Red Wings Monday night.
