BROOKLYN, N.Y. – Defenseman Ron Hainsey scored his second game-winner in as many games as the Carolina Hurricanes pushed past the New York Islanders and posted a 3-2 win in overtime at the Barclays Center on Thursday.
Prior to Hainsey’s marker, Brock McGinn and Chris Terry scored to keep Carolina even with the Islanders throughout regulation while goaltender Eddie Lack made 17 saves and earned his first win with the club.
“He’s a good goalie, we know what he’s all about, we like him a lot,” Carolina head coach Bill Peters said of his netminder.
“Tonight he was very good. He made a big save when it was tied on Boychuk, and that’s what you gotta do to get a win in this league.”
Falling behind 1-0 at the 8:56 mark of the opening period, the Hurricanes evened the score with five minutes remaining when McGinn pounced on a loose puck in the slot and snapped a shot past Islanders netminder Thomas Greiss (26 saves),
It was the rookie forward’s second goal of the season.
Frans Nielsen put the Islanders ahead 2-1 on the power play just past the midpoint of the second period and carried the advantage into the third.
Terry connected on a penetrating passing play initiated by the Staal brothers that evened the score with 5:04 remaining in regulation.
With a leading pass from Eric, Jordan carried the puck along the left boards towards the corner and froze Greiss long enough to put a centering pass on Terry’s tape in the slot that made its way quickly into a gaping net.
During the five-minute overtime, it was Hainsey who was the recipient of Jordan’s feathered set-up pass that allowed him to beat Greiss with a backhander along the ice and between the pads to give Carolina its second straight win.
“Instead of goin’ three forwards, we two go two forwards and a D,” Peters said of the strategy used in overtime.
“Those D have the green light to jump up and get into the play, and Ronnie’s a very good skater, and he can do that 5-on-5, and situations like that.”
The game-ending play also capped off a two-point night for Staal, tallying his first two points of the season, and helping Carolina finish its recent road trip with its fourth win in seven games.
The Hurricanes (4-6) return home to host the Colorado Avalanche (3-5-1) on Friday as part of two-in-three set that includes facing off against Tampa Bay (4-5-2) on Sunday.
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Boxscore: Carolina 3, New York 2
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