Washington (United States) (AFP) – Seth Jarvis scored the overtime game-winner as the Carolina Hurricanes rallied for a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday to level the Stanley Cup Final. Jarvis scored on the power play at 3:56 of overtime, firing a one-timer past Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart to seal a wild win in which the Hurricanes scored three third-period goals to seize the lead, only for Vegas to grab another and force the extra session.
“It was a lot,” Jarvis said of a third period that also featured a goal waved off because of goaltender interference. “We did a great job controlling our emotions. I think we never got too high, never got too low, just kept responding.” And that’s what I love about this group — we always bounce back,” he added after the Hurricanes knotted the NHL’s best-of-seven championship series at one game apiece.
The Golden Knights, who came from behind to take game one 5-4, appeared in control with a 2-0 lead on goals in the first and second period from Brett Howden, who tied Jonathan Marchessault’s franchise record with 13 in a single postseason. Carolina stormed back with three goals in just over five minutes.
Logan Stankoven launched the onslaught, stealing the puck from Rasmus Andersson behind the net and wrapping it around the right post to find the net off Jeremy Lauzon. Mark Jankowski tied it with a high glove-side wrist shot and Jordan Staal gave the Hurricanes the lead with 4:35 left in regulation when he redirected Shayne Gostisbehere’s shot on the power play.
Just 25 seconds before Staal struck, Vegas thought they had scored. Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen sprawled to deny Ivan Barbashev with his stick. The puck trickled into the net, but the goal was waved off and the call stood up when a video review confirmed Barbashev interfered with Andersen. Staal took advantage on the ensuing power play, but the drama wasn’t over, with Mark Stone tying it at 3-3 with 1:21 left in the third.
“It was a step in the right direction. Now we’ve got to keep it going into Vegas,” Jarvis said as the series shifts to Las Vegas for games three and four on Saturday and Tuesday. It wasn’t immediately clear what Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb’s status for those games will be after he took a puck to his face in the first period. McNabb was in front of the Golden Knights net when a slap shot from Hurricanes forward Nikolaj Ehlers slammed into his helmet visor and he dropped to the ice. He rose quickly and headed for the locker room with his hand over his face, broadcaster ESPN reporting he was taken to hospital for further evaluation.
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