Trailing by two goals midway through the third period, the Carolina Hurricanes got off the mat and stunningly forged ahead on goals from Logan Stankoven (at 10:20), Mark Jankowski (at 12:46) and Jordan Staal (at 15:25), weathered the storm of a late Mark Stone marker that tied the game with 1:21 remaining in regulation, and then won it when Seth Jarvis unleashed a one-timer that blew up by Carter Hart, with Tomas Hertl in the sin bin, 3:56 into overtime that gave the Canes a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center. Whew!
It was just Jarvis’ fourth goal and ninth point of the postseason. Struggling linemates Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov also got the score sheet, with each first-liner earning an assist. Aho drew the secondary helper on the game-winner, while Mr. Svechnikov had the second apple on Staal’s deflection goal, which came on a power play after John Tortorella challenged a disallowed Vegas tally and lost.
South Florida native Shayne Gostisbehere set up the pair of Carolina power-play goals, and Frederik Andersen made 23 saves for the Hurricanes.
Brett Howden, who leads the playoffs in goals with 13, scored twice in the first period to stake the Golden Knights to a two-goal lead. Hart finished the tilt with 22 stops.
The series will shift to T-Mobile Arena in Sin City for Saturday night’s Game 3 knotted at a game apiece.