Four-Goal Third Period Leads Canes To Victory In San Jose

SAN JOSE, CA. - Despite injuries and a parade to the penalty box all night long, the Carolina Hurricanes battled from behind to take a 6-3 victory from the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

Aho Out Injured

Although he took part in the team's morning skate, a surprise announcement from the Canes' PR department at the start of warmups declared that Sebastian Aho would miss tonight's game due to an upper-body injury.

A severe blow to a lineup already without Andrei Svechnikov, the absence forced the team to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen for tonight's affair.

While that's not all that uncommon after the team voluntarily elected to go with 11-7 on Opening Night, what was atypical was that to compensate for #20's absence, Teuvo Teravainen was moved to center to start a game for the first time since 2017.

Starting the season with a scorching four goals in three games, #86 anchored a line of Michael Bunting and Martin Necas.

Andersen Goes Down Early

Trying to find their way without Aho, things went from bad to worse for the Canes to start the night in San Jose.

After giving up a goal on the Sharks' first shot, Frederik Andersen would be removed from the game just 5:27 in. A Mike Hoffman shot from the point was redirected upward mere feet from the top of Andersen's crease, changing the trajectory right up into the mask of the starting netminder before he could brace for impact.

Going down immediately, the Dane was paid a visit by Head Athletic Trainer Doug Bennett. The two conversed for a few moments, but then Andersen was escorted off the ice.

Antti Raanta entered and Andersen would not return. After the first period, he was ruled out for the remainder of the night for precautionary reasons.

Call-And-Response Scoring

A theme for the first 40 minutes of play would be a goal, answered by a goal.

Following San Jose's game-opener in the first period, Seth Jarvis chimed back with what would be his first of two goals on the night 52 seconds later.

In the second period, the Canes went first. Jaccob Slavin struck shorthanded, but 17 seconds following, the Sharks evened the score.

Penalties Hurt

Three of the aforementioned four goals came on special teams, and while ultimately it was an even score at that point, a lack of discipline almost sunk the Canes to end the second period.

Affording San Jose six power play opportunities throughout the evening, the Sharks jumped in front 3-2 with Brady Skjei sitting in the box.

Inside the final four minutes of the second period, the William Eklund tally forced Carolina to play from behind in the third.  Thankfully, they would be able to do battle back, but the group has now been shorthanded 19 times in four games, tied for the most-league wide.

Third Period Push

In the third, the Canes put on a charge, but at least for the start of the frame, Mackenzie Blackwood continued his impressive start to the season. After a 51-save performance against Colorado on Saturday, the former New Jersey Devil was standing tall and keeping his team in front, until penalties came back to bite their club.

Approaching the middle mark of the period, Stefan Noesen found the equalizer for the defending Metropolitan Division Champions, opening the floodgates on Blackwood and beginning a four-goal frenzy.

2:44 later, on another power play, Jarvis chimed in with his second of the night, and what would eventually go down as the go-ahead goal.

3:02 after, it was Necas' turn. Turning on the jets after taking a return feed from Bunting at center ice, #88 looped home his patented wraparound to make it a 5-3 game.

And to conclude the flurry, Brett Pesce chimed in with his first goal of the season. Coming just 18 seconds after Necas' insurance tally, the marker put a bow on a feel-good third period for the Canes.

They Said It

Rod Brind'Amour offering his thoughts on the win, specifically outshooting SJ by such a large margin, but playing from behind...

"It wasn't going our way, but it probably should have been, the way we were playing.  It wasn't, but the guys didn't veer off.  There were a couple of weird things that didn't really go our way that could have derailed it, but the guys were just worried about the next shift and they did a good job."

Seth Jarvis describing what went right for the Canes in the third...

"We had to capitalize on the power play, which we did.  We had to play five-on-five.  We knew we had the advantage the whole game.  In the second period, we didn't really get to play five-on-five, and when we did get back to it, I thought we responded pretty well."

Jaccob Slavin on the team persevering without Aho and losing Andersen in-game...

"Management has done a good job of giving us a team that has depth.  All positions, we have depth.  It's huge.  As a team, we haven't been playing great hockey, so we wanted to come out strong tonight, and I think we got to our game."

What's Next?

The Canes will fly to Seattle post-game. They have a practice scheduled for Wednesday, before returning to game action against the Kraken on Thursday at 10 p.m.

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