SUNRISE, Fla. (WNCN) – Martin Necas assisted on the game-tying goal and scored the overtime winner to seal a 3-2 Hurricanes victory in what was a frantic conclusion to Monday’s game.
Eetu Luostarinen broke a 1-1 deadlock for the Panthers with just more than three minutes left in regulation. Carolina came right back and leveled things less than a minute later. Vincent Trocheck was parked in the slot to finish off a tidy tic-tac-toe passing play also featuring Necas and Nino Niederreiter.
That goal was enough to get the ‘Canes to overtime, where Sebastian Aho teed up Necas’ on a 2-on-1 rush.
Brett Pesce scored with less than seven minutes to go in the first period when he ripped a one-timer from the left faceoff dot. That power-play marker was the difference for more than 30 minutes of game time until Frank Vatrano cleaned up a rebound in front of Alex Nedeljkovic, tying the game 4:40 into the third period.
Nedeljkovic made 44 saves in the win.
Carolina will be back in action on Tuesday in Nashville. That game will mark the end of a five-game road swing. The ‘Canes will be allowed to host 15 percent capacity when they return to PNC Arena Thursday to host Detroit.
