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 It just took time.
Rookie center Elias Lindholm scored the go-ahead goal in Carolina's
four-goal third period as it rallied from a two-goal deficit to
defeat the visiting San Jose Sharks 5-3 at PNC Arena.
"I think we felt good about how we were playing," Hurricanes center
Riley Nash said. "All the guys kind of followed suit."
Lindholm found room near the crease to deposit the winning goal with
six minutes to play, giving Carolina its season-best three-game
winning streak.
"We had to bring our 'A' game," Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller said.
"We played the game so well. It was such a strong 60 minutes, we
deserved to get points."
The Sharks, who lost 5-1 on Thursday night at Pittsburgh, went
pointless in consecutive games for the first time this season. They
had not lost in regulation when leading after two periods in 17
previous games this season.
"I don't know what it is, but we came up without the points that we
needed," San Jose coach Todd McLellan said. "Some concerns about our
group right now. I don't know if we are playing with the energy we
played with earlier in the year and I don't know why that is."
The Hurricanes went ahead twice in the final period.
Sharks defenseman Justin Braun tied the score at 3 with 10:25
remaining with a shot from near the blue line.
Defenseman Jay Harrison, center Riley Nash and center Jordan Staal
also scored for the Hurricanes, who won only seven of 17 home games.
Center Eric Staal added an empty-net goal in the last minute.
"We definitely didn't waver the whole game," Jordan Staal said. "We
were playing really good hockey."
Lindholm said he was relieved to be a part of the scoring mix. He
has two goals in barely a two-week span since returning from an
assignment with the AHL's Charlotte Checkers.
Jordan Staal nudged the puck over the goal line after San Jose
goalie Alex Stalock made an initial stop, putting Carolina ahead for
the first time. The advantage didn't last long before Braun pulled
the Sharks even.
Center Tommy Wingels and defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic staked the
Sharks to a 2-0 lead in the first period.
San Jose, playing its sixth game in a 10-day span, was denied
reaching the 20-win mark for the second night in a row.
Goalie Cam Ward, who didn't play in the previous two games, stopped
21 shots.
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Stalock, in only his fourth full game of the season, made 29
saves while allowing only one goal on Carolina's first 27 shots.
"He has not played a lot, but I thought he gave us a chance to
win at least," McLellan said.
The Sharks struck first when Wingels' tipped a shot by
defenseman Jason Demers 7:09 into the game. The tally came after
the Hurricanes failed to clear the puck when Ward retrieved it
from behind the net.
Stalock's sprawling save with his right leg denied Hurricanes
center Nathan Gerbe later in the first period.
Before the first session ended, Vlasic scored by sending a shot
through traffic at 16:31.
Harrison's goal, which made it 2-1 in the second period, was
part of a fluky sequence when his blast from inside the blue
line ricocheted off the boards behind Stalock and bounced off at
least one Sharks player and into the net.
"We kept telling each other we were going to get one," Jordan
Staal said. "We just kept at it and we were rewarded."
The tying goal came when Nash redirected Harrison's shot with
15:06 left in the third period.
Nash, who assisted on the first goal, has points in consecutive
games for the first time this season. He was credited with the
game-winner Thursday night at Nashville.
NOTES: The Sharks scratched D Brad Stuart, who scored
game-winning goals in three of the previous 11 games, based on a
coach's decision. ... Hurricanes LW Drayson Bowman missed a game
for the first time this season. He has a lower-body injury. ...
Carolina RW Patrick Dwyer sat out a night after he took a high
stick to the face at Nashville. ...The Hurricanes recalled LW
Zach Boychuk from Charlotte of the AHL, and he assisted on the
team's first goal. They put D Mike Komisarek on injured reserve
with a lower-body ailment. ... G Antti Niemi was the San Jose
backup after starting eight consecutive games. ...The teams meet
again March 4 at San Jose. ... The Sharks conclude their
four-game road trip with Sunday's game at Minnesota. ...
Carolina won't play at home again until Dec. 20, beginning
four-game road stretch Monday at Vancouver.
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reserved.]
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