Andrei Svechnikov, Hurricanes stun Penguins with an overtime power-play goal, win 3-2
It was just team game No. 55 for the Carolina Hurricanes in early March, but it had the feel of games to be played later with much bigger stakes.
The Canes and the Pittsburgh Penguins went at it with heart and intensity, and sometimes with their fists, before Carolina pulled out a 3-2 overtime victory Friday at PNC Arena.
Andrei Svechnikov’s power-play goal won it for the Canes (38-12-5), the Metropolitan Divisions leaders, but only after captain Jordan Staal scored twice to get Carolina to overtime. Goalie Antti Raanta picked up the victory and everyone in the Canes lineup seemingly had a hand in the victory -- or in Vincent Trocheck’s case, both hands.
Trocheck dropped the gloves late in regulation and traded blows with defenseman Mark Friedman, pumping his arms as he skated off to the penalty box, asking for noise. He got it.
“Everyone was fired up when he did that,” Svechnikov said.
Including Svechnikov?
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “It fired me up for sure, big time.”
Trocheck then drew a slashing call on veteran Pens defenseman Kris Letang in the overtime. After some push and shove with Letang, Trocheck popped Letang in the back of the head and Letang then retaliated with the slash. Only Letang went to the box at 2:47 of the OT, leaving the Canes with a four-on-three power play.
Svechnikov scored 27 seconds later, following up a shot by Teuvo Teravainen for his 23rd goal of the season and his fifth game-winner. Canes fans, who had been in a rowdy cheering battle with a large contingent of Pens fans in the arena, thundered their approval.
“We needed an emotional game and usually when you come in this building the fans are always definitely into it, especially against this team, and it makes for an interesting night,” Staal said.
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said PNC Arena was “electric” while also noting “obviously the opponent helps.”
Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and assist for the Pens (34-14-9), who were coming off a 5-1 beating of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday and looking to climb within one point of Carolina in the Metro standings with a regulation win. The Pens took a 2-0 lead in the first period and goalie Casey DeSmith was in a nice groove, although Raanta also made some sharp stops in the period.
“They made it hard on us,” Staal said. “Being down two against that team is tough. We had to rebound and get going and I thought in the second period we took control of the game.”
Svechnikov had a big hit in the second that helped the Canes shift the momentum. Staal then got the Canes, shut out 4-0 Thursday by the Washington Capitals, on the board with a shot from the slot after some hard work by his line of wingers Nino Niederreiter and Jesper Fast.
“The first period wasn’t our period but after it we came out hard and we played our game,” Svechnikov said.
Staal’s second goal came on a redirection of an Ethan Bear shot from the point, Staal knocking down the puck in the high slot and having it bounce past DeSmith. Staal recently quipped that he was “just warming up” and he now has five goals in his last seven games and eight for the season.
“He’s got to stay hot and shoot more and he’ll score more and more,” Svechnikov said.
The Canes have never lost a game when Staal scored twice in a game -- they’re now 7-0-0. He’s 16-1-1 in his career, for the Pens and Canes, in games where he had a pair.
After taking six minor penalties in the loss at Washington, the Canes had two Friday. They killed both off, although Crosby did score for a 2-0 Pens lead moments after a power play expired off a nice Guentzel pass.
“Tonight was just a great effort by everybody, hands down,” Brind’Amour said. “It doesn’t always work out but tonight we got what we deserved.”
Svechnikov comments on Russia-Ukraine crisis
After the game, Svechnikov made his first public comment on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis: “It’s a hard situation for sure but I hope they’re going to find a peaceful solution as soon as possible and everything’s going to be fine there.”
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 9:58 PM.
