The Carolina Hurricanes (43-23-4) defeated the Anaheim Ducks (30-32-8) 5-2 Sunday night, and returned back to Raleigh having claimed four of the six possible points they could have earned on their California road trip.
Netminder Frederick Andersen and left wing Taylor Hall were key in Carolina’s victory. Hall recorded a hat trick and the game-winning goal, doubling the amount of goals he had as a Cane coming into the game. Andersen made 35 saves on 37 shots, ending the game with a .946 save percentage. Since March 1, Andersen has a .938 save percentage and a 1.67 goals-against average for a 5-1 record.
Center Mark Jankowski opened the scoring from behind the net in the second period. A deflected shot fell into the stick of center Tyson Jost who turned and shot one wide, but Jankowski was in the right spot to tip it in from below the goal line, putting the Canes up 1-0 eight minutes into the third period.
Since debuting with Carolina on March 9, Jankowski has six goals in seven games. Golden Knights’ Tomas Hertl is the only player with more goals since that day.
The Ducks responded by capitalizing on a 2-on-1 opportunity when left wing Alex Killorn scooped up the puck on a bad pass by the Canes and skated it the length of the ice, shooting it past Andersen. The Canes players couldn’t backtrack in time to keep the lead, letting the game now sit tied at 1-1 13 minutes into the second frame.
Just over a minute later, left wing Jordan Martinook was in the right place at the right time to follow up on his teammates’ deflected shot. Getting a touch on an awkward bounce, Martinook knocked it past Dostal, putting the Canes ahead 2-1.
Hall’s game-winner came just two and a half minutes into the third period. On the powerplay, after crashing the net and getting a stick on the puck after a deflected shot from right wing Jackson Blake fell into his possession, Hall snapped it into the back of the net.
Getting his second of the period, Hall positioned himself right outside the post of the goal, moving into position to receive a pass from center Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Sweeping the puck across the net, Hall backhanded it past Ducks netminder Lukas Dostal, putting the Canes up 4-2.
Desperate to shrink the Canes’ lead, Ducks center Trevor Zegras found the puck in a scramble of people, poking it through the legs of Andersen to cut the deficit to 4-2 with under four minutes left in the period.
The Hurricanes special teams showed up ready, killing all six of the penalties drawn. With defenseman Jaccob Slavin being a vital part of the penalty kill, he was stuck on the ice for a while, recording over 23 minutes on ice.
With less than two minutes left in the game, finding themselves still two goals behind, the Ducks pulled the goalie to try and tie the game. Before the Ducks could find the back of the net, Hall was right where he needed to be to get the puck and skate it into the net, securing the hat trick and the game for the Canes.
The Hurricanes return to Raleigh to take on the Nashville Predators Tuesday with a 7 p.m. puck drop.
