Staal scores late in OT as Hurricanes beat Predators
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jordan Staal scored his second goal of the game with 34.9 seconds left in overtime to give Carolina a 3-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night and extend the Hurricanes' winning streak to six games.
Staal scored unassisted in the extra period, carrying the puck into the zone and beating Nashville's Pekka Rinne to give the Hurricanes their first six-game streak in 10 years.
Sebastian Aho had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes. Vincent Trocheck finished with two assists.
Matt Benning and Ryan Johansen scored for Nashville, which built a 2-0 lead in the second period, only to have Carolina tie the score by the end of the period.
Hurricanes goalie Alex Nedeljkovic made 21 saves. Rinne was credited with 32 saves as the Predators played the second game of an eight-game trip.
Benning’s goal was his first in 25 games with the Predators after arriving as an offseason free-agent acquisition.
Despite the Predators going on two first-period power plays, the Hurricanes held a 15-7 edge in shots through 20 minutes.
HEARING THE MUSIC
Aho has 14 career points in 11 games all-time against Nashville. That’s the second-most points for any player in franchise history against the Predators.
Nine of Aho’s points in the series are goals. Ex-Carolina forward Jeff Skinner had eight goals and eight assists versus Nashville.
JOSI OUT
Predators captain Roman Josi went on injured reserve earlier Tuesday with an upper-body injury. The team said his absence will be week to week.
The injury occurred on a high stick from Dallas’ Denis Gurianov in the third period Sunday, even though Josi later notched the winning goal in a 4-3 shootout victory. He holds a three-game points streak.
Center Rem Pitlick, right-winger Mathieu Olivier and defenseman Jeremy Davies were recalled from the taxi squad and in Tuesday night’s lineup for Nashville.
UP NEXT
Predators: Nashville stays for a rematch Thursday night as the third game of an eight-game road swing.
Hurricanes: Carolina wraps up a four-game homestand Thursday night against Nashville.
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