Hurricanes Topple Buffalo in Overtime
© James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports - Hurricanes Topple Buffalo in OvertimeFor the second game in a row, the Carolina Hurricanes pulled off an overtime victory, this one a 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday night at PNC Arena.
Tony DeAngelo and Brady Skjei both scored in regulation, but the Canes relied on the magic of Martin Necas in overtime.
The Czech forward delivered too, redirecting the game winner past Sabres netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen off a pass by Sebastian Aho as he cruised through the crease.
It was the reversal of the Canes' last game, a 4-3 overtime win over the New York Islanders, as that time it was Necas setting up Aho for the winner.
When the moment's the brightest, you need your stars to shine and that's exactly what Carolina has been getting as they remain undefeated in games that have gone past regulation this season.
"It was a great play," said Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour. "The pass was great, but the redirection... there wasn't a lot of room. It wasn't one of these wide open ones you see in overtime with a 2-on-1 and the guys wide open and you slide it right over. It was a tight window. That's why those guys get paid a lot of money."
It was also a big night for Antti Raanta who stopped 20 of 22 shots, a few of which with some fairly unconventional methods.
"You're kind of looking back at your own net and thinking that you're too far away, but then your instincts kick in and you just try to do something," Raanta said on his adventurous save. "When you take those first two steps, you can't back down anymore. Dived and then it hits your stick, but the play is still on and you're almost at the boards and sliding around. After that, you just try to get back to the net as soon as possible and just try to catch your breath. It was just pure instincts. Puck stayed out of the net so it went well.
Raanta also made numerous conventional, but none the less big, saves throughout the game and really played a vital part in the win.
"[Raanta] was solid and that's what we need," Brind'Amour said. "You need solid goaltending in this league and that's what he did tonight."
The penalty kill has also continued to improve, going 3 for 4 tonight. It came through in critical moments such as Jordan Staal being penalized twice in the opening 10 minutes of the game and Jordan Martinook being penalized in the final five minutes of regulation with the game tied.
"I thought that was really the difference in the game because it was really crucial moments, especially at the end," Brind'Amour said.
Things are going pretty well for the Hurricanes who have won five of their last six and also scored a power play goal in five straight.
They'll look to keep the ball rolling as they head back on the road yet again for a game against the Florida Panthers Friday night.
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