After another overtime game, Canes have a chance to close out the Preds in Game 6
Overtime again? Of course, overtime again.
The Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators now are locked up in playoff series so intense and tight that 60 minutes are no longer enough to decide a winner.
This night, the Canes were the winners. Jordan Staal’s goal at 2:03 of the first overtime lifted Carolina to a 3-2 victory in Game 5 at pulsating PNC Arena.
After winning the first two games of the best-of-seven series at PNC Arena, the Canes went to Nashville and twice were beaten in grueling double-overtime games. They were eager to get back home in front of their crowd in Game 5, which was rumbling Tuesday, and now go back to Nashville for Game 6 on Thursday with a 3-2 lead and the chance to close it out.
Forward Martin Necas scored twice for the Canes. His first goal, on a first-period power play blast, tied the score 1-1. His second was much bigger: a quick wraparound score at 12:55 of the third for a 2-2 tie.
Early in overtime, Canes defenseman Brady Skjei was called for holding Mikael Granlund. But the Preds’ Alexandre Carrier then was called for interference on Sebastian Aho, and Staal scored on the four-on-four.
Forward Yakov Trenin, who scored five goals in the regular season, had two for the Predators. Trenin had the always important first goal of the game, tipping a Roman Josi shot, then scored in the opening minute of the second period.
The Preds took advantage of a Canes turnover -- defenseman Brett Pesce’s poor drop pass just inside the Nashville blue line -- and converted it into a two-on-one rush and Trenin’s score for the 2-1 lead.
Soon, things became interesting, and left Canes fans in foul mood.
Jaccob Slavin, back after a three-game injury absence, got off a shot from the point, the puck hitting off Jordan Staal’s skate and into the net for an apparent 2-2 tie at 12:22 of the second period. PNC Arena erupted, but Preds coach John Hynes challenged the goal, claiming goaltender interference.
The ruling: no goal. Canes fans, having seen replays on the scoreboard, did not buy the official explanation that Canes forward Warren Foegele was in the crease and had bumped Josi into Saros.
The fans booed and chanted at the refs the remainder of the period, and booed them off the ice when the period ended.
Necas’ first score, his first of the playoffs, came after a melee in the Nashville zone after the Canes’ Andrei Svechnikov was boarded by Luke Kunin and the two squared off. Others joined before play was stopped -- the Canes left with a power play.
On Necas’ second score, the speedy winger carried the puck down the right wing, behind the net and beat Saros with the wrap as defenseman Matt Benning took a futile swipe at the puck.
Updates from earlier in the game:
Second period: Preds hold lead
The Predators scored in the first minute of the second period for a 2-1 lead as forward Yakov Trenin scored his second of the game.
The Canes then tied it at 12:22 of the second -- but didn’t. Jaccob Slavin, back in the lineup, appeared to score on a shot from the point, but Preds coach John Hynes challenged it, claiming goaltender interference. After review, the goal did not stand as Canes forward Warren Foegele was ruled to have pushed defenseman Roman Josi into goalie Juuse Saros and impeded him from moving freely in the crease.
That was the ruling but Canes fans did not agree and were especially incensed after seeing replays on the big board during the review. The fans continued to boo and chant at the refs the remainder of the period.
After the Canes’ Brett Pesce turned the puck over with a drop pass inside the Nashville blue line, the Preds converted a two-on-one rush as Colton Sissons -- who picked off the poor Pesce pass -- set up Trenin for the goal. Trenin had five goals in 45 games in the regular season and none in the first four games of the series.
Through the first two periods, the Canes had an 18-10 edge in scoring chances and twice as many high-danger chances (8-4), according to NaturalStatTrick.com.
First period: Score tied 1-1
One question was answered quickly: defenseman Jaccob Slavin would play for the Canes.
After missing three games with a lower-body injury, Slavin was back and paired with Dougie Hamilton. They had 10 shifts in the first and Slavin was used on the Canes’ penalty kill as the first period ended in a 1-1 tie.
The Predators notched the first goal of the game, as Roman Josi floated a shot from the left point that Yakov Trenin deflected over the head of Alex Nedeljkovic, but Martin Necas’ power-play goal tied it.
Trenin’s goal, with 8:16 left in the first, was reviewed to determine if Trenin, who was in the slot, had touched the puck with a high stick. The score stood, Trenin’s first career playoff goal.
Moments later, the Preds’ Luke Kunin boarded Andrei Svechnikov in the Preds zone and a fight soon ensued as other players jumped in. Kunin and Svechnikov went to the box along with the Preds’ Matt Benning and the Canes struck on the power play.
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour hinted there might be tweaks to the units and had Necas on the top unit instead of Jordan Staal. Necas rifled a shot from the right circle with 5:39 left in the first for his first goal of the playoffs. Hamilton picked up an assist and was more engaged as the period moved on after a spotty start.
The Canes had 10 shots to the Preds five, holding Nashville without a shot on goal in the last seven minutes of the period.
This story was originally published May 25, 2021 at 7:28 PM with the headline "After another overtime game, Canes have a chance to close out the Preds in Game 6."
