Hurricanes-Bruins live updates: Carolina falls to Boston, 5-2, in Game 6, force Game 7

***LIVE UPDATES HAVE CONCLUDED. FOR FULL RECAP AND ANALYSIS, CLICK HERE.***

The Carolina Hurricanes have a chance to close out the Boston Bruins in Game 6 of their first-round NHL playoff series Thursday night on the road after a 5-1 win at home in Game 5 on Tuesday.

The time for a potential Game 7 back in Raleigh on Saturday has not yet been set, but if all four series go to Game 7s that day, it would likely be a 1 p.m. afternoon start.

The News & Observer’s Chip Alexander and Luke DeCock at at TD Garden in Boston and will have live observations from the scene. Justin Pelletier is following along back in Raleigh.

How to watch

Tonight’s game is available in North Carolina on Bally Sports South (Mike Maniscalco, Shane Willis, Abby Labar) and nationally on TNT (Kenny Albert, Eddie Olczyk, Bryce Salvador, Shannon Hogan).

Third period

Too little, too late, but ...: Will this spark the dormant power play? Svechnikov from Necas on the PP set, from the right circle.

An empty-netter will seal it: For the fifth time in six games, the winning team will have at least five goals on the board after an emty-netter from Boston is good from distance. Curtis Lazar backhands it in from outside the sone, and the Bruins are plenty ahead. There will be a Game 7.

Canes penalty to Slavin: The team jokes about Slavin’s one penalty from a year ago being a puck over the glass. He lived that in this game, whistled for that call. Nothing for the bruins on the PP, but not inside of 6 to play, Bruins in command, up 4-1.

And another. Game 7 looking like a reality: Antti Raanta had no stick after making a huge save, but a long shot from the left point beat him on the stick side. Derek Forbort from downtown with 9:17 to go after a heck of a shift from the fourth line. Laser with the screen in front.

Big goal for Boston: Old frienemy Eric Haula tips in a McAvoy pass past Antti Raanta, and the Bruins have reestablished their 2-goal lead. That might be it, here. The crowd is energized, the Canes’ brief period of momentum is gone.

Big hit stuns McAvoy: Jesperi Kotkaniemi rattled Charlie McAvoy well on the forecheck. Cameras showed McAvoy on the Bruins bench wincing a bit as he caught his breath.

Necas with great chance on Swayman: Stepan sets up Necas cutting down the slot but he can’t get his backhand through Swayman’s five hole. Great chance.

Deficit cut in half: Andrei Svechnikov sneaks in up the left side, great pass by Seth Jarvis to find him and Svechnikov roofed the puck short-sdie high on Swayman. Very similar to Marchand strike earlier, but from the other side.

Second-line shuffle: Our first lineup change, and Max Domi slots in with Trockeck and Terravained... and he immediately decks Taylor Hall. And Necas? Has a nice chance with his new fourth-line mates, and Swayman makes the stop.

Second period

Big hole for the Canes: Despite four power plays in the middle period, the Canes can’t find the net. Swayman was solid for Boston, but the PP looked off. Again. Meanwhile, Boston clung to its 1-0 lead for most for the period and popped in a PP goal at the tail end for a big 2-0 advantage through 40.

Power play connects for Boston: This hasn’t been a discipline problem tonight for the Canes, it’s been an inability to play on special teams. After going oh-fer on their own PP to this point, a Pastrnak shot deflects through the crease, Charlie Coyle at the post for the tap-in. 2-0 Bruins on their power play chance.

Canes now to the box: After four straight calls against Boston, officials whistle Brett Pesce for obstructing Jake DeBrusk in front of the net. Another of those clear calls. Boston huge chance here near the end of the second.

Another stick infraction by Boston: Haula whistled for the high stick on Kotkaniemi, caught him in the neck. Another of those penalties where it is so cut and dry, the crowd groans, but doesn’t protest too much. And again the Canes’ PP looks dreadful. Terrible missed opportunities here in the second period for the Canes. They are 0-for-4 in the second.

Canes get another power play...and another: The Hurricanes got their second power play, and almost immediately go up on a 5-on-3 after penalties to Frederic with a sloppy offensive zone trip on Pesce and a Charlie McAvoy hooking call. In the 5-on-3, Trocheck twice beats Bergeron on draws but Bruins kill off everything. Crowd goes bonkers.

Canes get a power play: Staal draws a penalty as Clifton goes for holding, and the Canes will get a chance with the man-advantage. Despite hitting the post twice (that’s one each for the teams tonight), nothing doing on the PP for the Hurricanes, and they remain down 1-0.

Bruins draw first blood: Brad Marchand with the snipe from the right side. Canes’ bad change allows a quick outlet to a streaking Marchand. Top shelf short side shot beats Raatna. First time this series the Bruins have scored first.

First period

All square: Tense finish to the first period after a late icing by the Canes, but the period comes to an end with no damage either way. Bruins had a chance to get 37 + 63 out against the fourth line after the icing, but did not. Fourth line clears and gets a chance of its own at the other end.SOG 11-8 Carolina.

Clang goes the B-line trolley ... and the post: Patrice Bergeron rings one off the side of the post to Antti Raanta’s left.

Staal solid on the PK: Jordan Staal’s meddlesome stick snuffs out the PP. Some boos from the partisans after the Canes’ centerman intercepted a couple of passes and disrupted a zone entry.

First power play goes to Boston: Hooking called on Sebastian Aho as he gets his stick into Nosek as he’s backchecking and his stick got caught in the pads of the Bruins’ grinder. No doubt there. Aho will sit for two minutes.

Huge hit by McAvoy: McAvoy catches Aho coming across the middle and sends him spinning. Massive hit. Aho goes down grabbing his head but up quickly. Started with a Jarvis steal in the defensive zone to spring a two-on-one. Ended ... poorly.

Quick whistle?: Nino Niederreiter put the puck in the back of the net, but it was after the whistle had blown, so, despite the puck being loose, it was whistled no goal. There is no replay recourse for that.

Accidental collision: Vincent Trocheck tried to make a tight turn after forechecking in the Bruins zone, lost and edge and tripped up Bruins’ goalie Jeremy Swayman. No harm, no foul, and we played on.

Bruins come out hitting: David Pastrnak had a great first shift for Boston, and laid three hits against the Canes, one each against Terravainen, Pesce and Sjkei. The Bruins also had a few low-grade chances against Raanta, who was involved early with a couple of easy glove saves.

Up next

ESPN currently has four broadcast windows for a potential Game 7 on Saturday — 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. For various reasons including time zones and Hockey Night in Canada, the Hurricanes and Bruins would likely slot into the earliest window that ESPN ends up using — 1 p.m. if there are four games or 3:30 if there are three, and so on. If the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing, they’ll go in the 7 p.m. HNIC time slot. The Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers would likely take the 9:30 p.m. window if they’re still going.

If the Hurricanes advance Thursday, the next series could start as soon as Sunday if the Pittsburgh Penguins close out the New York Rangers in their Game 6 on Friday, but Tuesday is a more likely alternative in other scenarios because PNC Arena is booked with a concert on Monday.

Morning update

Jordan Martinook (right leg) made the trip with the team and skated at TD Garden on Thursday morning, but the Hurricanes’ lines and defensive pairings were the same as they were for Game 5. Antti Raanta gets the start on his 33rd birthday. For the first time in the series, Steven Lorentz and Ethan Bear were dressed and skating in warmups.

Defenseman Hampus Lindholm (concussion) is back in the lineup for the Bruins, who will at least start with Jake DeBrusk on the top line with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, with David Pastrnak playing with Taylor Hall and Erik Haula. Matt Grzelcyk, nominally Boston’s third-best defenseman, is a scratch.

Jean Hebert and Trevor Hanson are the referees. Andrew Smith and Matt McPherson are the linesmen.

Since moving to North Carolina, the Hurricanes are 5-3 in Game 6s played on the road.

Pregame reading

• Hurricanes treating Game 6 against Bruins as ‘absolute must-win,’ hope to avoid Game 7

• DeCock: Hurricanes’ Niederreiter proves versatility in helping shut down Bruins’ top players

• Hurricanes dominate Bruins in Game 5, take 3-2 playoff series lead back to Boston

• DeCock: For different reasons, DeAngelo, Jarvis answer call in complete Canes win over Bruins

• Quietly, Hurricanes goalie was the first star in Game 5. Can he do it again in Game 6?

• ‘Loudest house in the NHL’ does its part to help Hurricanes batter Bruins in Game 5

• Hurricanes’ Seth Jarvis feeling pain of friendly-fire low blow, ‘fine’ to face Bruins

• DeCock: Hurricanes beating Bruins between blue lines, but losing playoff battle between the ears

• Hurricanes’ Tony DeAngelo moves past Game 4 vs. Bruins: ‘Just playoff hockey. All good.’

• Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour frustrated by NHL rule application on Bruins goal

• Bruins rattle Hurricanes, win Game 4 and send playoff series back to Carolina tied 2-2

• Bruins’ big guns deliver in Boston. Now, can the Hurricanes answer in Game 5 at home?

• DeCock: Hurricanes turn what might’ve been quick series into slog. There’s no one else to blame

• Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy misses Game 4 against Hurricanes, placed in NHL COVID protocol

• DeCock: In role reversal, Hurricanes’ Svechnikov mentoring Kochetkov, who’s 9 months older

• Hurricanes defenseman simmering over Antti Raanta injury, collision with David Pastrnak

• DeCock: By any name — Pyotr, Peter — fiery Hurricanes goalie Kochetkov is ‘that kind of guy.’

• Carolina Hurricanes built a consistent, winning culture by ‘trying to be like Boston’

• DeCock: Carolina Hurricanes owner, NHL commissioner push for arena upgrades — and it’s about time

This story was originally published May 12, 2022 at 6:34 PM.

Luke DeCock

The News & Observer

Luke DeCock is a former journalist for the News & Observer.