Martin Necas scored his second night goal with 9.7 seconds left in overtime, securing a 3-2 win for the Carolina Hurricanes over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday and ending their three-game losing streak.
Necas received a pass from Tony DeAngelo at the top of the slot and fired the winning shot, marking his fifth overtime winner in two seasons. Necas thrives in the 3-on-3 overtime format.
“I like it,” Necas said. “There’s lots of space to make some plays.”
Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored with 4:24 remaining in regulation to force overtime, assisted by Necas and sparked by defenseman Brady Skjei. Frederik Andersen made 23 saves for the Hurricanes, who rallied from a two-goal deficit.
“Pretty happy with that game, especially the response,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “I think we got the two points we deserved.”
Oliver Bjorkstrand scored a goal and an assist, and Devin Shore scored for the Kraken, who have yet to win back-to-back games this season. Joey Daccord has both of Seattle’s wins and made 42 saves.
He expressed disappointment over the goals he allowed, especially Kotkaniemi’s.
“Just disappointing I couldn’t make the save,” Daccord said. “It’s a frustrating loss being up late in the game.”
The Hurricanes, returning from a 2-4-0 road trip, were playing their second home game of the season.
“Obviously, it wasn’t the road trip we wanted,” Skjei said, noting the uplifting comeback. “We’ve always had that confidence in this room. We never get too rattled when we’re down.”
Seattle aimed to defeat Carolina for the second time this season.
Necas had four overtime winners last season.
“That’s his time, for sure,” Brind’Amour said. “He loves that.”
Kotkaniemi and Necas are now the third and fourth Hurricanes players to reach four goals this season.
Andersen, recovering from an injury, hadn’t played in the last three games and wasn’t heavily tested during this one.
Bjorkstrand, who has scored both of his goals this season against the Hurricanes, opened the scoring at 11:24 of the first period.
Shore scored his first goal of the season less than 3 1/2 minutes later, sliding the puck under Andersen’s pads.
Necas put the Hurricanes on the board with 1:38 left in the first period after the Kraken mishandled the puck while attempting to clear the zone.
Despite outshooting the Kraken 31-14 through two periods, the Hurricanes trailed 2-1, thanks to Daccord’s efforts.
“He helped us with his ability to play the pucks,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. “They’re a shot-volume team.”
UP NEXT
Kraken: At Florida on Saturday night.
Hurricanes: Host San Jose on Friday night.
