For the second time this season, center Martin Necas scored the game-winning goal in overtime to cement the Carolina Hurricanes’ 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday, Jan. 25.
A little over a month after hosting the Stars (28-13-9) in Raleigh, the Canes (30-9-8) closed Wednesday night’s game in Dallas with an electric overtime performance after three tense periods.
Carolina’s win becomes even more impressive when you consider the tem’s impromptu roster gaps — goaltender Frederik Andersen left the ice after the first period, citing a lower-body injury and leaving the rest of the game to backup netminder Antti Raanta. Defenseman Jaccob Slavin was also absent for the second game in a row due to injury.
Center Sebastian Aho, who’s been on a tear after notching his sixth career hat trick in New York less than a week prior, scored his 200th NHL goal on Wednesday night — and the Stars were on the man advantage, no less. The Hurricanes may have trouble on the power play, but with Aho’s shorty, Carolina jumps to second in the league in shorthanded goals.
Dallas scored two goals in the first frame to give the home team the go-ahead lead, but Raanta’s hard work in the crease ensured that the Stars wouldn’t receive another opportunity for the rest of the evening. In his first game since Jan. 7, Raanta stopped 15 out of 15 shots for the remainder of regulation.
“[Raanta] didn’t give up a ton, which was great,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s a tough spot to come in, obviously, when you’re cold and on the bench. But he’s been around, he knows that’s part of his job — and obviously, he did it well.”
A little under a week after a tense game at home versus the Wild, in which right wing Andrei Svechnikov received a major penalty and left wing Max Pacioretty tore his Achilles tendon, physicality ramped up in the second frame. Defenseman Brett Pesce and Dallas center Luke Glendening were sent to the box for fighting after a vicious altercation on the ice, and defenseman Calvin de Haan delivered a heavy hit to Dallas left wing Jason Robinson shortly thereafter.
Regardless of the penalty minutes accrued, Carolina held on tight after defenseman Brent Burns’ bullet made it a tie game. The rest of regulation wrapped up without a goal from either team, and the Hurricanes moved into bonus hockey for the 16th time this season.
Necas may have been snubbed the All-Star fan vote, but the 24-year-old stepped up when Carolina needed it most. 1:34 into the overtime period, Necas overpowered a sleepy crew of Stars to put the game-winning goal past Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger. With it, the Hurricanes secured their 30th win of the season, a much-needed victory for a team lacking Pacioretty, Slavin and Andersen.
The Hurricanes will take on the San Jose Sharks at home on Friday, Jan. 27. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
