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The Carolina Hurricanes are coming off of their first overtime win in three chances in the 2021 NHL Playoffs on Tuesday night after defeating the Nashville Predators 3-2 in Raleigh. Jordan Staal batted a puck out of midair and past Juuse Saros to give the Hurricanes a 3-2 series lead and a chance to clinch the series tonight in Nashville.
The Canes were coming off two straight double-overtime losses to the Predators in Nashville where the Preds evened up the series between the teams. Carolina needed to regroup and get the momentum back, and that it did behind Martin Necas’ two goals in regulation and Staal’s OT winner.
Carolina now heads back to Nashville looking to quiet the sounds in Music City for the final time as they look to wrap up the series in game six tonight.
It is an unusual game in the sense that we get to experience Canes after dark in the first round of a playoff series. The game has a 9:30 p.m. local time puck drop and if the game ends in regulation (which we know what those odds are) the game will end around midnight.
Buckle in, grab your coffee and let’s break down the matchup between the Canes and Preds in game six.
Vital Statistics
| Category | Hurricanes | Bruins |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Hurricanes | Bruins |
| Record | 54-20-8 | 51-26-5 |
| Goals/Game | 3.38 | 3.08 |
| Goals Against/Game | 2.44 | 2.66 |
| Shots/Game | 34.12 | 36.12 |
| Face Off Win % | 53.9% | 54.2% |
| Power Play % (Rank) | 22.0% (13th) | 21.2% (15th) |
| Penalty Kill % (Rank) | 88.0% (1st) | 81.3% (9th) |
| ES Corsi For % | 43.86% | 56.14% |
| ES PDO | 113.44 | 86.56 |
| PIM/Game | 12:00 | 22:00 |
Goaltender #1
| Category | Frederik Andersen | Linus Ullmark |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Frederik Andersen | Linus Ullmark |
| Record | 35-14-3 | 26-10-2 |
| Save % | .922 | .917 |
| GAA | 2.17 | 2.45 |
Goaltender #2
| Category | Antti Raanta | Jeremy Swayman |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Antti Raanta | Jeremy Swayman |
| Record | 15-5-4 | 23-14-3 |
| Save % | .912 | .914 |
| GAA | 2.45 | 2.41 |
Game Notes
- The Canes have gotten multi-goal games from four different players through the first five games of the series: Jordan Staal in game one, Sebastian Aho in game two, Brock McGinn in game four and Martin Necas in game five, which marks only the second time in franchise history that the Hurricanes/Whalers have had multi-goal games by four different players in five or fewer games of a playoff series. The Hartford Whalers accomplished the feat in 1986.
- Jordan Staal scored his second career playoff overtime goal on Tuesday night, his last one also being the Hurricanes last playoff overtime winner in game one of the 2019 Eastern Conference second round. He becomes the fourth player in franchise history to score multiple playoff overtime goals.
- The Hurricanes registered 66 hits against Nashville on Tuesday night, the most in any NHL game since the league began tracking the stat in 2005-06. Carolina has 239 hits so far in the playoffs, second to only the New York Islanders who have 243.
- The Hurricanes/Whalers franchise is 4-3 overall and 4-2 on the road when entering game six with a 3-2 lead. The franchise has also never lost a game in which they have led 3-2 (7-0).
- Carolina is 11-10 in potential series-deciding games (that would see the Canes move on) in franchise history, including wins in their last three such games: the 2019 first-round over Washington, 2019 second round over the New York Islanders and the 2020 qualifying round over the New York Rangers.