Kadri breaks slump as Leafs edge past Hurricanes

[November 21, 2015]  RALEIGH, N.C. -- It had been more than a month since Toronto Maple Leafs center Nazem Kadri scored his only goal of the season, so his late-game work Friday night was a long time in the making.

And just want the Maple Leafs needed.

Kadri tied the game and Toronto went on to win 2-1 over the Carolina Hurricanes in a shootout at PNC Arena.

"It was getting bigger," Kadri said of the pressure to provide offense. "That (goal) was a relief. The timing of it was good."

Right winger Joffrey Lupul scored in the fifth round of the shootout to give the Toronto the victory.

Center Peter Holland of Toronto and center Riley Nash of Carolina converted earlier in the shootout. The Maple Leafs are 2-3 in shootouts this season, while the Hurricanes were in their first shootout.

Kadri's power-play goal with 3:33 left in the third period forged a tie for the Maple Leafs (7-9-4). His second goal of the season will be more noticeable than other things he has done.

"It was hard for me," he said of the slump. "I was doing the little things and I (hoped that) was good for my team."

Kadri's goal was set up with Toronto on the power play after a faceoff violation penalty on Carolina center Elias Lindholm.

Toronto goalie James Reimer finished with 33 saves.

Carolina goalie Cam Ward stopped 24 shots, but the lone defensive breakdown in regulation was costly.

"We're going to need more than one goal to win games," Hurricanes right winger Kris Versteeg said. "We have to do more in the third."

The Maple Leafs won for the fifth time in six games. Toronto was in danger of being a shutout victim for the third time this season.

"The belief was always there," Kadri said. "We believed all the time. There's still lots of work to do. We didn't exactly like the way we played tonight."

The Hurricanes are 0-2-3 in their last five games.

Center Brad Malone, playing for the first time in five games, broke a scoreless tie with 12:13 remaining to put the Hurricanes (6-10-3) on top.

It was the first goal in 11 games this season for Malone, who's in his second season with the Hurricanes and a healthy scratch for recent games.

"I just wanted to re-establish myself," Malone said. "That's my job."

Malone's goal was set up by defenseman Justin Faulk, who delivered a pass toward the corner. Malone's delivery hit off Reimer's padding and deflected into the net. Versteeg also logged an assist on the play.

Toronto had five shots on goal in overtime, unable to convert on a power play.

The Hurricanes, who are the second-lowest scoring team in the NHL, were busy on the offensive end for stretches of the game even though they failed to convert until Malone's tally.

"We had some good looks and good chances and found a way to lose again," Versteeg said.

The Maple Leafs, who averaged four goals in the three games entering the night, didn't have a shot for more than nine minutes to open the third period.

There was no score through two periods, though Carolina held a 22-12 advantage in shots on goal.

Toronto hasn't allowed a first-period goal in seven consecutive games. The Maple Leafs outscored their previous six opponents by a combined 6-0 count.

Carolina failed to score with its league-worst power play, including with a 5-on-3 sequence in the first period.

Reimer's first NHL shutout came in February 2011 against Carolina.

Toronto center Byron Froese left in the second period with a cut after he was checked by Malone. Froese returned in the third period.

The Hurricanes have won 21 of the last 30 meetings between the teams. That includes an 8-1-1 record in the last 10 matchups in Raleigh.

NOTES: The Hurricanes called up D Jaccob Slavin for his NHL debut. He led Charlotte defensemen with seven assists for the American Hockey League team before the promotion. ... Carolina has six U.S. defensemen in a lineup for the first time in franchise history. ... Toronto C Nick Spaling missed his second game in a row with an upper-body injury. ... Carolina coach Bill Peters was an assistant coach under Toronto coach Mike Babcock when they were with the Detroit Red Wings. ... The Maple Leafs play their next two games against the Boston Bruins, including Saturday night at Boston and Monday at home. ... The Hurricanes finish a five-game homestand Sunday afternoon vs. the Los Angeles Kings.

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