The Carolina Hurricanes ended a five-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings Sunday afternoon in a thrilling, drama-filled affair at PNC Arena.
The goal-starved Hurricanes (7-10-3) finally found their scoring touch and jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the talented Kings (12-8-0) scored two quick ones to make things interesting. Carolina dug down deep and with the help of some luck, found a way to win.
“We need to be hungry for points,” Carolina head coach Bill Peters said. “We found a way to get points here today. It was nice to score some goals.”
Rookie defenseman Brett Pesce helped the Canes get off to a strong start, scoring his first career NHL goal with a slap shot, beating the glove of Kings netminder Jonathan Quick, just 3:31 into the game.
Entering the game, the Canes had scored only three goals in 19 games from defensemen not named Justin Faulk, making defensive scoring a point of emphasis for Peters and his team.
Forward Brad Malone set up the goal with a faceoff win in the offensive zone, getting the puck quickly to Pesce at the point. Malone, known for his physical play rather than as an offensive threat, has points in both games since earning back a spot in the Canes’ lineup.
Carolina’s quality play continued early in the second period as it increased the lead to 3-0 before Los Angeles came roaring back.
After a Pesce shot from the point went wide of Quick, the puck ricocheted off the boards behind the net and to Canes forward Jeff Skinner on the opposite side. Skinner banked the puck off of Quick’s body and into the net.
Faulk, the league leader in man-advantage goals, came to the Canes rescue on the power play once again, beating Quick over the shoulder with a lethal slap shot to seemingly put Carolina in control.
“You’ve got to rely on special teams to win games sometimes,” Pesce said. “Justin Faulk has one of the best shots in the league.”
The Kings made a push in the second half of the middle frame, scoring two goals less than a minute apart to put some game pressure on the Canes.
Los Angeles was awarded a penalty shot after referees ruled Carolina defenseman Noah Hanifin covered a loose puck in the goal crease with his glove. Kings forward Dustin Brown took advantage of the questionable call, scoring on the attempt.
Just 58 seconds later, a Canes turnover in their own zone led to another Kings goal, this time from forward Anze Kopitar.
With about two minutes left in the second period, the Canes received some luck to regain a two-goal advantage as a puck deflected off the skate of Kings defenseman Alec Martinez and into the net.
The power play goal was awarded to Faulk – his second of the game – as his shot lead to the rebound that deflected off the skate and in.
“I thought specialty teams played a part in the game, obviously,” Peters said. “[We’ve] worked on it enough. Now we just got to get some reps on it and get some confidence.”
Kopitar scored his second goal of the game halfway through the third period, while on the power play, to pull the Kings within one. Kopitar’s shot appeared to deflect off of Canes defenseman Ron Hainsey, making it impossible for goalie Cam Ward to make a stop.
The Kings continued to push but Ward and the Hurricanes were able to fend off a comeback attempt to win 4-3.
“We’re a quarter of the way through the season,” Peters said. “I believe in our group and I like the way we’re going.”
