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| Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting LLC |
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Game Notes:
The Carolina Hurricanes host the New York Islanders for the third and final game of the two teams' series this season at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. on Tuesday
The Hurricanes hold a 2-0 record against the Islanders with 6-4 and 4-2 wins over the Islanders earlier in the year.
The Islanders are undefeated in their last 10 games (8-0-2) while the Hurricanes are sporting a 2-7-1 record in their last 10.
Carolina's top line of Jiri Tlusty (5 games), Alex Semin (3 games) and Eric Staal (2 games) are all riding consecutive point scoring streaks while the Islanders' John Tavares is currently ranked third in the NHL for goals scored (26).
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Commentary for each period will follow on the hour.
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Before the puck drops:
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| Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Islanders - Peter Koutroumpis, PKS Consulting LLC |
Carolina started the game with a few lineup changes as Jordan Staal centered Tuomo Ruutu and Chad LaRose against the Isles top line of John Tavares, Matt Moulson and Brad Boyes.
Jeff Skinner centered a line with Pat Dwyer and Nicolas Blanchard while the team's top line of Eric Staal, Alex Semin, and Jiri Tlusty stayed in tact while seven defensemen suited up against the Islanders.
The Hurricanes scored first as Alex Semin gained the blue line and dropped a pass to Eric Staal and continued along the right boards to Islanders goalie Evgeni Nabakov's left.
As he came out of the corner, Semin got the puck back quickly from Staal and beat Nabokov between the legs to put Carolina ahead 1-0 at 3:57.
Semin's goal extended his current point-scoring streak to four games (3g, 3a).
The Islanders managed to tied the score just over two minutes later as Brad Boyes redirected the puck into the net with his left skate on a pass from Mark Streit.
Both teams traded exceptional scoring chances during the period including a Keith Aucoin shot that cleanly beat Hurricanes netminder Dan Ellis, but couldn't get past the crossbar.
Jordan Staal put Carolina ahead 2-1 with 3:40 left in the period as he redirected a Jay Harrison shot from the point.
For Harrison, it was his first assist since Mar. 12.
End of Period: Carolina 2, New York 1
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2nd Period
The Islanders continued to outshoot the Hurricanes during the period, 14-10, as both teams skated end-to-end and kept Ellis and Nabokov busy.
Each team managed to light the lamp which maintained Carolina's lead as both teams skated off the ice for the second intermission.
New York bulged the twine first as Kyle Okposo outworked Eric Staal by the Hurricanes blue line before emerging from the boards, through the slot and put a shot on Ellis.
The big rebound that resulted allowed a wide-open Josh Bailey to roof the puck into the net to tie the game 2-2 at the 7:34 mark.
Carolina took another ten minutes until they regained the lead as Ruutu carried the puck into the zone along with Pat Dwyer and Jordan Staal who were in close proximity along the right boards.
As Ruutu dumped the puck in, he absorbed an attempted check from Islanders defenseman Andrew MacDonald and continued on to pick the puck up behind Nabokov's net.
Ruutu fed the puck to Staal on the crease who redirected it to a circling Dwyer and his ensuing shot beat Nabokov through the pads to regain the lead for the Hurricanes with 2:15 remaining in the period.
End of Period: Carolina 3, New York 2
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3rd Period
The Islanders had numerous chances to score in close on Ellis during the first 10 minutes of the period.
Ellis came up with big pad saves on Bailey and Matt Martin as well as using his trapper to pull the puck out of the air a few more times while John Tavares hovered close by.
Carolina had a great opportunity to really put the pressure on the Islanders and distance themselves further with 11:31 to play.
As Nabokov strayed from his net on a scramble for the puck, Ruutu found the loose puck and got a shot off towards a wide-open net, but somehow managed to ring it off the right post, as the score remained 3-2 in the Hurricanes' favor.
Coupled with consistent forechecking and close coverage in the defensive end, Ellis made more stops and smothered the puck on numerous occasions while the Hurricanes applied more pressure on the Islanders in their end as the game entered its latter stages.
However, with 1:01, Tavares finally got on the score sheet as he fed a pass across the top of the crease and found Kyle Okposo who tipped the puck past Ellis to tie the score 3-3.
Subsequently, the goal was credited to Tavares as the puck had deflected off Carolina defenseman Justin Faulk's skate before Okposo could get a stick on it.
In the end the Hurricanes couldn't manage to keep Tavares off the score sheet which contributed to the Islanders sending the game into overtime.
End of Period: Carolina 3, New York 3
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Overtime:
Carolina took control early on as Eric Staal and Semin applied early pressure on Nabokov who had to make two quick saves before the Islanders got it down into the Hurricanes end.
Skinner had a great shot on net with 2:30 to go bu Nabokov made a great right pad save to keep the play going.
Bailey was stoned on a backhand deke attempt on Ellis before Nabokov made another save with two minutes to play.
Staal, Semin, Tlusty and Harrison were on the ice and controlled play for the next 45 seconds until Tavares picked the puck up and snapped a shot towards Ellis who made a tremendous glove save to the roar of the crowd in attendance.
New York maintained possession for much of the remainder of the overtime, but Ellis and Carolina managed to keep the puck out of the net long enough to push the game to a shootout.
End of Period: Carolina 3, New York 3
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Shootout:
New York - 1 - Frans Nielson - no goal / 2 - Brad Boyes - no goal
Carolina - 1- Riley Nash - scores / 2 - Jeff Skinner - scores
Final: Carolina 4, New York 3
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