Canes repeat winning formula

Carolina rallies from 3-0 deficit

TAMPA, FLA. -- Is it too early to call them the Comeback Canes?

The Carolina Hurricanes rallied to win for a second straight game, surging past the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 in overtime Saturday at the St. Pete Times Forum.

Eric Staal's even-strength goal at 4:36 of overtime, the second of the game for the star center, had the Canes jumping for joy when it ended. Carolina trailed 3-0 late in the second period but found the will and the way to claw back, tie the score, force overtime and win.

"We don't want to do that every game, but we'll take it," Staal said. "The guys kept battling and battling."

On Friday night, the Canes trailed the Florida Panthers 2-0 early in the season-opener but surged to a 6-4 victory at the RBC Center. But this was the back end of a back-to-back set, on the road, with the Lightning fresh and playing its home opener under new coach Barry Melrose.

For almost 40 minutes, it was all Tampa Bay. But Rod Brind'Amour's power-play goal in the final seconds of the second period was the starting point for the Canes.

"We obviously got life from Roddy's goal," Staal said.

Added the Canes' Sergei Samsonov, "That was the momentum changer."

During the period break, Staal said Canes coach Peter Laviolette told his team they could "either fold the tents or go after them." The Hurricanes went after the Lightning, outshooting Tampa Bay 20-2 in the third period.

"We kept the pressure on them, and it was only a matter of time," Staal said. "That third period we just got after them and attacked and attacked.

"That's the type of game that we play and the type of game we need to play, for a full 60 [minutes]."

Matt Cullen's early power-play goal in the third made it 3-2. And when Staal blasted a shot from the right circle past Bolts goalie Mike Smith at 9:56 of the period, Smith smashed his stick in frustration on the crossbar.

"I got a lucky bounce, a break, on my first one," Staal said. "Ray [Whitney] made a great pass to me in overtime."

Smith had been sharp much of the game as the Lightning (0-3) seemingly took control. Former Hurricanes forward Mark Recchi had a first-period goal, and defenseman Janne Niskala made it 2-0 with a power-play goal.

In the second, with the Bolts on a two-man advantage, center Vincent Lecavalier whistled a shot past Canes goalie Michael Leighton for a 3-0 lead.

"When we got that late goal [from Brind'Amour], we took over the game," Leighton said. "We had the puck the whole third period."

The Canes were scoreless on their first seven power plays. But Brind'Amour's goal with 8.7 seconds left in the second ended that power shortage.

Smith twice denied Cullen in the first period and turned back the center on a breakaway in the second. But Cullen broke through at 1:56 of the third.

Carolina now returns to the RBC Center for a Monday matchup against the Detroit Red Wings, the defending Stanley Cup champions. It will be a barometer game, another gauge of this Carolina team.

"We don't always want to dig ourselves a hole," Staal said. "But it was nice to come back and show that character again."

And one early trend already has begun -- comeback victories.