RALEIGH, NC — Jordan Staal scored with 6:27 remaining in the third period, and the Carolina Hurricanes extended their point streak to 11 games with a 3-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PNC Arena on Sunday.
Staal got his stick around the Pittsburgh defenseman Chad Ruhwedel and tapped a spinning pass from Jesper Fast into an open net.
“I thought in the third period we took control of the puck and started to play our style and created some offensive chances,” said Staal, who also had an assist. “The more you do that, the better your odds of winning.”
Derek Stepan and Brady Skjei each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes (19-6-6), who have won five straight, including 5-4 in overtime against the Dallas Stars on Saturday, and are 9-0-2 during their point streak.
“We kind of survived that first 10 minutes. That had every reason in the book to look like that the whole game,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We managed to right the ship and kind of get in a good flow. I’m proud of the group. They’re tired for sure, mentally.”
Video: PIT@CAR: Staal puts the Hurricanes ahead in the 3rd
Pyotr Kochetkovwho made 23 saves, has won four straight starts and is 7-0-1 in his past eight games.
“Every start he’s been solid,” Brind’Amour said “He kept us in there and made big save after big save. It’s not like there’s 100 shots coming at him, but there’s big ones at key times that [would] totally change the game if they go in.”
Rickard Rakell and Brock McGinn scored, and Casey DeSmith made 26 saves for the Penguins (18-9-4), who had their winning streak end at seven games and their road point streak at a franchise-record nine.
“This team is hard to play against,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “They’re committed to playing the game a certain way. They’ve got a good team. That’s just how the game played out.”
Stepan gave Carolina a 1-0 lead at 3:25 of the second period. Jack Drury and Stefan Noesen battled along the boards with Jan Rutta before the puck bounced out to Stepan, who scored from the blocker side from the left circle.
Each of Stepan’s two goals this season have come in the past three games.
Rakell tied it 1-1 at 12:20, redirecting Evgeni Malkin‘s pass from above the right circle on a power play.
“We definitely had the chances to come out on top in this game, but we knew that it was going to take good defensive play to get the two points,” Rakell said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t do that well enough.”
Brock McGinn put Pittsburgh in front 2-1 at 5:03 of the third period with a one-timer from a pass off the right circle. Kasperi Kapanen on a 2-on-1.
“That’s a really good play,” McGinn said. “He’s so highly skilled. I think he draws players to him. I was just able to get open and he made a great play to me.”
Skjei tied it 2-2 at 8:17 on a one-timer from the point through traffic.
“It was one of those seeing eye shots that you could see going the whole way, which was nice,” Skjei said.
Video: PIT@CAR: Skjei buries one-timer from above the circle
Staal and Noesen provided the screen in front.
“I saw him shoot it,” DeSmith said. “I knew it was high and it was knuckling. By the time it crossed the screen, it was under my blocker.”
NOTES: Pittsburgh has scored a power-play goal in eight straight games, the longest streak in its history since Feb. 3-26, 2013 (12 games). … Malkin has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) during an eight-game point streak. … Rakell played in his 600th NHL game. … The Hurricanes are 5-0-0 in the second of back-to-back games.
.