Carolina Hurricanes beat Philadelphia Flyers to take 2-0 playoff series lead
Taylor Hall scored a dramatic overtime winner as the Carolina Hurricanes fought back from a two-goal deficit to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 and take a 2-0 lead in their second-round NHL playoff series in Raleigh on Monday night.
The veteran forward scrambled to his feet after being knocked down to slot the puck past goaltender Dan Vladar after 18 minutes and 54 seconds of extra time.
It capped a resilient performance from the hosts, who trailed for the first time in this postseason following a blisteringly fast start by the visitors.
The series now shifts to Pennsylvania for the third game of the matchup on Thursday.
Flyers start fast before Carolina response
Philadelphia head coach Rick Tocchet had demanded a quicker reaction from his players following a comprehensive 3-0 defeat in the opening game.
His squad delivered emphatically, with Jamie Drysdale and Sean Couturier scoring just 39 seconds apart in the first period to stun the home crowd.
However, Nikolaj Ehlers halved the deficit with a precise power-play strike to steady the nerves inside the arena.
Seth Jarvis then linked up with the Danish winger midway through the third period to drill an equaliser from the right flank and force sudden death.
Goaltenders shine in tense encounter
Despite conceding three times, visiting netminder Vladar was outstanding, turning away 40 shots and denying Eric Robinson on two separate second-period breakaways.
Travis Sanheim also provided crucial defensive cover, sweeping a loose puck off the goal line to keep the game deadlocked during regular time.
At the other end, Frederik Andersen remained utterly dependable, making 34 saves to ensure his team maintained a perfect 6-0 record in the current playoffs.
The visitors heavily dictated the pace during the extra period, outshooting their opponents 15-8, but found the veteran shot-stopper in impenetrable form.
Injury woes continue for both sides
Philadelphia were once again without their regular-season top scorer Owen Tippett, who missed his second consecutive game with an undisclosed injury.
Meanwhile, the victorious hosts remained without towering defenceman Alexander Nikishin.
The Russian blue-liner took part in pre-game warmups but continues to recover from a concussion sustained during their first-round sweep of the Ottawa Senators.