RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes expected physical challenges in their two homes games this week, first against Florida and then Friday against Nashville.
The Canes got it. And responded. And toughed it out Friday.
After absorbing a tough overtime loss Wednesday against the Panthers, the Canes rebounded with a 5-3 victory over the Predators at PNC Arena.
Andrei Svechnikov had two power-play goals while defensemen Brady Skjei supplied a goal and assist and Jaccob Slavin perhaps the biggest goal of the game. Slavin’s goal came with one second left in the second period, 21 seconds after the Predators’ had made it a 2-1 game on a shot from the slot from Luke Kunin.
Svechnikov scored his 21st and 22nd of the second, the second an empty-netter with 42 seconds remaining in regulation. Canes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored his 10th of the season in the second period for the Canes (33-11-4).
Goaltender Frederik Andersen picked up his 26th win of the season but only after the Predators scored a pair of third-period goals — by Filip Forsberg and Tanner Jeannot — to pull within 4-3 as Preds goalie Juuse Saros was pulled for an extra attacker.
Much like the Florida game, there were a lot a of big, brutal hits as the Predators put up a bruising battle. The Canes lost center Vincent Trocheck to an upper-body injury suffered in the first period, then had winger Martin Necas limp off in the second.
Necas, who had assisted on Skjei’s goal in the first, soon returned and set up Kotkaniemi with a nice pass for a second assist.
The Canes’ Sebastian Aho was involved in a melee behind the Nashville net in the first period, tangling with Filip Forsberg. Aho wound up at the bottom of the pile as Forsberg punched away but was assessed minors for high-sticking and roughing while Forsberg was penalized for roughing.
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour protested but didn’t have any complaints about the way his team played.
The Panthers were ultra-physical in the first period on Wednesday. They then controlled the the third period, tied the score in the final minute with an extra attacker and won quickly in overtime.
But the Predators (28-18-4), losing a fourth straight game, could not manage enough of third-period push to tie the score.
“Whatever kind of game it goes, I think we can play it, which is good,” Brind’Amour said after Friday’s morning skate. “We certainly don’t back down from it.”
Skjei’s goal was his seventh of the season and a beauty. He carried the puck into the slot and calmly put a backhander past Saros.
Slavin’s goal was a dagger for the Preds. Svechnikov got the puck to Aho, who found Slavin pinching in to Saros’ right. Slavin, looking at an open net, didn’t miss.
