Canes’ McKegg, due for a goal, gets an easy one in Game 4
Greg McKegg knew he was due, with the chances he had in the first three games of the Carolina Hurricanes’ second-round series against the New York Islanders. The goal he ended up scoring was easier than any of the chances he had earlier.
Sixty six seconds after Teuvo Teravainen scored the go-ahead goal for the Hurricanes early in the second period, a Brett Pesce rebound bounced off Islanders goalie Robin Lehner and sat on the ice at the post. Neither Lehner nor McKegg could figure out where it was right away, and McKegg was able to get to it first for a tap-in and the first playoff goal of his career.
That was it for Lehner, who exited the net as the Hurricanes scored two more against Thomas Greiss on their way to a 5-2 win in Game 4 and sweep of the Islanders.
“It was nice to finally put one in, especially at that time of the game,” McKegg said. “I couldn’t really see where the puck was, and it was just sitting there. I don’t think he saw where it was, either, and he just banged it in. I thought it might have been tipped out. I knew he got a stick on it, but I didn’t know where it dropped to. Nice it was sitting right on the doorstep for me.”
It has been a crazy five months for the 26-year-old McKegg, who was called up from Charlotte (AHL) at the beginning of 2019 on a trial basis to help stabilize the fourth line and ended up scoring two goals in his first three games and sticking around for the duration.
“It’s been quite a whirlwind,” McKegg said. “I haven’t had a chance to sit back and reflect or think about it too much. It’s been a lot of fun, a great ride, and we’re looking to keep it going.”
POWER ON After almost three weeks, the Hurricanes finally scored a power-play goal. Technically.
The Hurricanes ended an 0-for-23 skid dating back to Game 3 of the first round when Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech chipped the puck into his own net. It was the Hurricanes’ fourth power-play goal of the postseason – they’re 4-for-38 – but they managed to go 6-1 during the skid.
SVECH SCORES It wasn’t a big deal at the time, with the Hurricanes up three goals, but Andrei Svechnikov got back on the scoresheet with his third goal of the playoffs and first since returning from his six-game absence with a concussion.
“It’s huge for me,” the rookie said. “Just huge when you score a goal, you get more confident and I think it helps me, and helps me for the next game.”
NET GAINS With the switch from Petr Mrazek to Curtis McElhinney after Mrazek’s Game 2 injury, the Hurricanes became the third team in the past 29 years to sweep a best-of-seven series with multiple goalies recording a win.
The switch ended up being seamless, with McElhinney stopping 71 of 75 shots in one relief and the two home games to conclude the sweep.
“I don’t think I have to say anything, right?” Hurricanes captain Justin Williams said. “It’s quite obvious the caliber of goalie he is. The talent he is. The mind he has. He’s just solid, every way you look at it.”
TAILWINDS Williams recorded his 100th career playoff point. … Warren Foegele tied Erik Cole for the franchise rookie playoff scoring record with his ninth point. Foegele did it in 11 games; Cole needed 23 in 2002. … The Hurricanes moved to 11-7 in close-out games since moving to North Carolina. … Dougie Hamilton, who has a shot on goal in 247 straight regular-season games, got one in the final six minutes to record a shot in all 11 playoff games this spring. … The attendance of 19,495 at PNC Arena was a new franchise record.
This story was originally published May 3, 2019 at 11:43 PM.
