Unlikely Heroes Lead Carolina: Canes 3, Ducks 2 - SO

The Carolina Hurricanes completed their five game home stand with another win as they defeated the Anaheim Ducks, 3-2 in a shootout on Friday night at the PNC Arena.  The Canes are 4-0-1 in their last five games and have earned nine points out of a possible ten in those games.

This was the team's first shootout win of the season.

After a slow, scoreless first period in which the Ducks out-shot the Hurricanes 8-4, things picked up late in the second period.

With just two minutes left in the second, Ryan Getzlaf stole a Justin Faulk pass and fed a wide open Corey Perry who made no mistake with his attempt on Justin Peters.

But about a minute later, the Hurricanes got a powerplay opportunity and then with just 17 seconds left in the period, Alexander Semin found an open spot and roofed a seeing-eye goal in the upper corner to tie the score, 1-1.  It was Semin's first goal in nine games and he had more of a look of relief on his face than elation.

(Update - the goal was credited to Eric Staal.  The puck grazed him before going in the net).

The third period was an exciting one and Drayson Bowman would get things started for the home team three minutes into it with a beauty of a move to the front of the net to put the Canes up, 2-1.

But the Ducks tied things back up with a powerplay goal about four minutes later.

Both goalies made several fine saves to keep their respective teams in things, but Peters looked very good in stoning Dustin Penner on one try and then Perry on another.

The Canes had the better of the play in overtime but were unable to light the lamp.  Then came the dreaded shootout, which the Hurricanes had yet to win this season.  But this night would be different.

After Peters stopped Teemu Selanne, Riley Nash hit the post, then had the puck bounce in the net off the back of goalie, Viktor Fasth.

Perry then beat Peters on his attempt to tie things up and Fasth stopped Semin at the other side.

Getzlaf was shooter number three for Anaheim and he shot just wide.  After being the only Hurricane to connect in previous shootouts, Chris Terry was given the chance to win it and he did not disappoint as he backhanded his shot past Fasth for the game-winner.

The red hot Canes travel to St. Louis right after the game for a match against the Blues on Saturday night.

Game Notes:

• Justin Peters continued his solid play and made 28 saves on 30 shots, plus two saves out of three shots in the shootout.  He is certainly earning that one-way contract now.  That makes 138 saves on the last 144 shots he has faced, (.958 SV%).
• Drayson Bowman was the game's second star and he looked very confident while leading the team with six shots on goal.
• The team won 56% of the game's faceoffs.  (E Staal, 63%, J Staal 53%, and Malhotra 60%).
• Mike Komisarek played some forward on the fourth line, but also played defense and was on the ice playing "D" when the Ducks scored their powerplay goal.  That might be too much to ask him, to play a combo of offense and defense, but he was physical and led the team with five hits.
• Andrej Sekera had a team high 23:56 of ice time.