RALEIGH, N.C. — Carolina Hurricanes players had been saying all along that their star players and power-play unit would eventually deliver crucial performances.
It appears they were correct.
The timing couldn’t have been better, as it allowed the Hurricanes to stay alive in their Stanley Cup Final matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights.
Seth Jarvis fired a one-timer beyond Carter Hart during a power play 3:56 into overtime — a pivotal moment for both Jarvis and a special teams unit that had struggled during the postseason — propelling the Hurricanes to a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday evening. The win capped a remarkable evening that saw Carolina down 2-0 heading into the final period and appearing outplayed, before mounting a comeback with three straight goals, then regrouping after surrendering a late equalizer that sent the game to extra time.
More significantly, the Hurricanes transformed what could have been a devastating 0-2 series hole after dropping both home games into a deadlocked series as they prepare to travel west following this dramatic shift in momentum.
Carolina’s man-advantage unit had managed only 7 goals in 58 opportunities (12.1%) entering Thursday’s contest after finishing fourth during the regular season with a 24.9% success rate. However, that same unit delivered twice when it mattered most on Thursday, beginning when captain Jordan Staal deflected Shayne Gostisbehere’s shot past Carter Hart from near the crease to give Carolina a 3-2 advantage with the extra man.
Jarvis then provided the decisive strike, marking just his fourth playoff goal for the top-line player who paced the team with 32 goals during the regular season.
After connecting from the left circle, he glided toward the blue line and dropped to one knee, sliding across the ice as his teammates poured over the boards in an emotional celebration.
The third contest of this best-of-seven series takes place Saturday in Las Vegas.
