In-Game Notes: Carolina Hurricanes vs San Jose Sharks

 Hurricanes keep Sharks in the tank with 3-2 win

 

Coach Kirk Muller used some creativity in utilizing his lineup as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the visiting San Jose Sharks 3-2 at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C. on Friday night.With forwards Tuomo Ruutu and Chad LaRose...

In-Game notes, photos, and video:

The Carolina Hurricanes return to play at the RBC Center, soon to become the PNC Cetner, as they host the visiting San Jose Sharks.

Carolina is 3-0-2 during its last five games and coming home after a three-game road trip.

 

Opening Faceoff 

1st period

• Canes get the puck in the Sharks end early and apply pressure on goaltender Thomas Greiss as Jerome Samson attempts a wraparound
• Hurricanes continue to maintain control after the Sharks get a rush down in to the Carolina end for a shot on Justin Peters
• 0-0 after four minutes of play
• Jeff Skinner gets a great shot off but a quick pad save by Greiss keeps the game scoreless
• Both teams with two shots apiece with 13:02 to go
• Skinner scores the first goal of the game, his 16th of the season, as he dumps it into the crease and banks it off a Sharks defenseman and past Greiss
• Hurricanes lead 1-0 at 7:31
• On their first power play of the game, Justin Faulk connects on a beautiful set-up pass across the slot from Jiri Tlusty and set up by Eric Staal at the point
• With 7:50 to go, Sharks putting pressure on Peters as he comes up big in keeping the score at 2-0
• Hurricanes get a second power play opportunity with just over five minutes remaining in the period
• Brent quarterbacking the power play wih Staal to his right and Faulk to his left - Tlusty and Samson down low
• Get one opportunity but San Jose manages to get it out and down the ice
• Sharks get a 2-on-1 opportunity as Patrick Marleau saucers a pass to Joe Pavelski but peters is there to make a big save
• Hurricanes outshooting Sharks 7-6 with 2:27 remaining -are 1-2 on the power play so far
• Carolina playing a tight defensive game in their zone as forwards are back checking to break the play up
• The Hurricanes carry the two-goal lead into the intermission
• Carolina is 12-5-5 when leading after one period

2nd period

• Pat Dwyer, Brandon Sutter, Andreas Nodl start the the second period strong, similar to the first
• Get a great opportunity on Greiss as Nodl slides one along the goal line, but the Sharks keeper stop it as well as Sutter's rebound attempt
•  Hurricanes' forechecking and puck movement continuing to flow well
• San Jose starting to establish a presence in the Carolina zone winning faceoffs and peppering Peters with shots that he grabs hold of
• Sharks now outshooting Hurricanes 13-10 and still trailing 2-0 with 13:10 to go in the period
• Hurricanes rolling all four lines including that of Anthony Stewart, Tim Brent, and Derek Joslin
• Even though he's a defenseman, Joslin is playing the win due to Chad LaRose being injured - he's earned the chance to play according to coach Kirk Muller - even if it's not on defense
• Sharks still trying to force the puck from the Hurricanes, but Carolina continues to put pressure onGreiss
• Tlusty-Staal-Samson line is playing exceptionally well
• Both teams trading scoring opportunities with both goalies staying busy - shots tied at 16-16 with 3:41 to go and Hurricanes still leading 2-0
• Dwyer-Sutter-Nodl pressing again with 2:39 to go and keeping Greiss and the Sharks defense busy
• Logan Couture gets a good pass up the wing from Tommy Wingels and takes a shot on Peters who turns away yet another shot
• Hurricanes penalized for tripping as Samson gets the gate
• Just under two minutes and the Sharks are on the power play - one of the best in the league
• Hurricanes playing exceptionally well on the penalty kill as Tlusty kills some time and is followed up by a solid combination of checks and shots from Eric Staal and Jussi Jokinen to kill more time off the penalty
• Period ends with Hurricanes still leading 2-0 as both teams have 19 shots each - still five seconds to kill on the penalty

3rd period

• Period starts the same as the previous two as Dwyer, Sutter, and Nodl get the puck into the San Jose zone
• On ensuing possession in the Hurricanes' zone, Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle gets some time to get a shot on net and beats Peters low, to the stick-side with traffic in front
• Hurricanes lead 2-1 with 18:34 remaining
• Carolina is not out of the woods yet as the Sharks continue to dominate play and control the puck
• The Sharks' hard work pays off as Brent Burns puts a one-time past Peters at 3:52 into the period and ties the game 2-2
• San Jose taking advantage of numerous Carolina turnovers as Peters comes up big on a shot from Dominic Moore 
• Hurricanes working to generate opportunities but allowing the Sharks opportunity to break out of the zone much more easily than during the previous two periods
• With 10 minutes to go Hurricanes are mixing it up as Joslin lands a big hit during a rare shift
• Carolina's Jaroslav Spacek dumps the puck in and Drayson Bowman corrals it behind the net - passes it to Jamie McBain at the point
• McBain slaps it towards the net and Jokinen gets a touch on it and deflects it past Greiss to put Carolina ahead 3-2 with 8:05 remaining
• Hurricanes still scrapping to maintain puck possession and keeping the Sharks moving
• Peters coming up with some big saves to maintain the one-goal lead with 3:38 remaining 
• With sold out crowd cheering them on, Carolina hanging onto its 3-2 lead as the two-minute mark approaches 
• Peters makes two big save as the Sharks have place the extra attacker on the ice by pulling Greiss - 1:28 to go
• Sharks' Patrick Marleau with an open net to tie the game, but Peters stretches across the crease to make the save with the help of defenseman Bryan Allen
•  San Jose continues to apply pressure while Hurricanes clear it one more time
• 35 seconds to go as Carolina called for icing
• Peters comes up with another big save on a tip-in attempt by Couture
• San Jose mishandles it and it gets out of th zone
• Joe Thornton misses on an open net
• Time runs out as Carolina wins 3-2 

 

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