RALEIGH, N.C. — The photographs got here at such a speedy tempo that Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros did not have an opportunity to evaluate the chaos in entrance of him.
Simply make the subsequent save.
Saros racked up a franchise-record 64 saves, and Mark Jankowski‘s objective 5:06 into the third interval gave the Predators their first lead in a 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night time.
“It was a sweaty night time, however good to get the win,” mentioned Saros, who was chosen to the NHL All-Star Recreation just a few hours earlier.
Saros matched the third-most saves in NHL historical past. He stopped all 28 photographs within the third.
“He made a number of massive saves,” Predators coach John Hynes mentioned. “He is one of many stars of our staff. He performed like that.”
The 67 photographs for Carolina marked a franchise file. The earlier excessive was 65 when, because the Hartford Whalers, the staff beat Toronto on March 15, 1984.
“You have to win the sport,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour mentioned. “What you have to do is give credit score the place credit score is due. That man performed pretty much as good a sport within the web that you simply’re ever going to see.”
Saros did not thoughts the workload.
“I am wonderful,” he mentioned. “That is why we apply.”
Filip Forsberg, Mattias Ekholm and Cody Glass additionally scored for Nashville, which has a four-game level streak. Colton Sissons had an empty-net objective, and Alexandre Carrier offered two assists.
Paul Stastny, Brady Skjei and Jordan Staal scored for Carolina. Brett Pesce had two assists, and Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 20 photographs.
The Hurricanes, who had a franchise-record 11-game profitable streak snapped Tuesday night time towards the New York Rangers, have misplaced consecutive video games in regulation for the primary time since Nov. 6 and 9.
This one stung as a result of what appeared like domination went for naught.
“We had the puck many of the sport,” Staal mentioned. “We undoubtedly should regroup and get again on it. It is two in a row. We now have to discover a solution to get on the precise aspect of it.”
Saros was as much as the duty whereas dealing with Carolina’s energy play within the ultimate 4 minutes and he dealt with a 6-on-5 scenario till Sissons’ empty-netter with 2.9 seconds left.
“He is an All-Star for a motive,” Jankowski mentioned.
The Predators responded to every of Carolina’s three objectives with a tying tally inside three minutes. Nashville scored thrice on its first 12 photographs. The Hurricanes held a 31-12 edge in photographs after Glass’ fourth objective of the season and second in two video games.
“It could actually’t be fairly each night time, however it’s a must to dig some out,” Ekholm mentioned.
The Predators had been proud that they executed nicely sufficient on offense to beat what was taking place on the different finish.
“Anytime we get down like that, we all know what we’re able to,” Jankowski mentioned.
The objectives for Stastny and Forsberg got here on energy performs. Skjei’s objective was on a 4-on-4 scenario 35 seconds into the second interval.
“The tempo of the sport, they put some stress on, clearly,” Hynes mentioned. “We turned some pucks over that allowed them to (go) on the assault just a little bit extra.
“Carolina all the time performs that means. They shoot loads of pucks. Particularly behind, you knew it was going to be a tough push from them.”