Aho scores game-winner as Hurricanes edge Blackhawks

[March 09, 2018]  Sebastian Aho scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and the Carolina Hurricanes held on for a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night at the United Center.

Jaccob Slavin and Justin Williams also scored as Carolina snapped a two-game losing streak.

Chicago lost for the fourth time in its past six games. Tomas Jurco and Patrick Sharp scored for the Blackhawks.

Hurricanes goaltender Scott Darling stopped 22 of 24 shots to earn the victory against his former team. Darling spent his first three seasons in Chicago and won a Stanley Cup championship in 2015 as Corey Crawford's backup.

Blackhawks goaltender Jean-Francois Berube turned aside 37 shots but dropped to 2-2-0 on the season.

Carolina grabbed a 3-2 advantage on Aho's power-play goal 4:35 into the third period. Former Blackhawks winger Teuvo Teravainen fired a long-range wrist shot, and Aho lifted the blade of his stick to deflect the puck past Berube. That marked Aho's 24th goal, which leads the team.

The Blackhawks pulled Berube for an extra attacker with more than two minutes remaining. Darling withstood several high-quality scoring chances to secure the win.

Chicago opened the scoring 6:02 into the first period. Darling failed to clear the puck from behind his net and scrambled to recover. Brent Seabrook unleashed a booming slap shot from near the blue line, and Jurco redirected it past Darling for his third goal of the season.

 

Hurricanes center Victor Rask (49) breaks his stick as he defends Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (88) during the first period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Carolina tied the score ess than five minutes later. Slavin steered a slap shot through traffic for his sixth goal.

Sharp put Chicago back on top with 4:54 to go in the first period. He battled for a loose puck in front of the net and pushed a backhand shot across the goal line for his eighth goal.

Williams scored on a breakaway to make it 2-all 1:06 into the second period. He was in the penalty box for hooking, and when the penalty expired he sneaked behind the Blackhawks' defense for a breakaway. Elias Lindholm fed Williams with a perfect pass, and he buried a high wrist shot for his 14th goal.

--Field Level Media

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