Canadiens-Hurricanes: Carolina Gets Back on Track With 3-2 Victory

Carolina Hurricanes 3, Montreal Canadiens 2

Dec. 16, 2008...RBC Center, Raleigh, NC

Powerplays and penalty shots highlighted a close game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008.

Center Eric Staal tallied twice and D Joe Corvo had the game winner for the Hurricanes, all three goals coming on powerplays. While RW Guillaume Latendresse scored on a penalty shot and forward Alexei Kovalev notched a short-handed goal on his first goal in 20 games for Montreal.

The Hurricanes barely outshot the visiting Canadiens, 27-24, despite having an unbelievable 11 powerplays and three 30-second-or-less two-man advantages. The Hurricanes were 3-11 on the powerplay while the Canadiens were 0-for-1.

Carolina goalie Cam Ward had a good game, making 22 saves on 24 shots, while the Canadiens' Jaroslav Halak, filling in for the injured Carey Price, was 24-of-27.

The Hurricanes entered this game having earned two points on OT losses to the Rangers and Flyers, and tied for ninth with division rival Florida. Montreal had 37 points entering the game.

Stressed Carolina fans came into the game booing their new head coach, Paul Maurice, when his name was announced in the pre-game starter announcements. Paul Maurice was 1-1-3 in his new position entering the evening matchup, and was not impressing fans who had been disturbed by his selection when his name was announced to replace beloved former head coach Peter Laviolette several weeks ago.

At the first intermission, the 'Canes lead 2-0 on two goals by Eric Staal off accurate goal-crease passes by Joni Pitkanen and Sergei Samsonov. Staal is having another talented season, with 13 goals and 20 assists. The Hurricanes were 2-5 on powerplays and had outshot the visitors 5-3 in the first period.

The first four minutes of the middle period were dreadful for the 'Canes, giving up a goal to Latendresse on a penalty shot caused by a questionable call and then a shorthanded goal right off a faceoff to Alexei Kovalev.

They steadied themselves and regained the lead with 12 minutes remaining in the period on a shot from the point by Joe Corvo, nicknamed "Joe Scorvo" by the RBC Center's jumbotron.

The period remained scoreless after that, despite a 27-second period of 5-3 with less than a minute left in the period for the Hurricanes.

The third period was scoreless despite the dominating puck control by Montreal. Previous goal-scorer Latendresse had a chance with 9.8 seconds remaining in the game with the extra attacker, but Cam Ward shut down the original shot and then the goalmouth rebound as well, giving the Hurricanes a much-needed 3-2 win.

The Stars of the Game were Sergei Samsonov, with two assists, Eric Staal, with two goals and nearly 21 minutes of playing time, and Joe Corvo, with the game-winning goal. Justin Williams and Rod Brind'Amour also tacked on assists for Carolina, and Robert Lang had another assist for Montreal.

The extra two points launched Carolina into a tie for eighth place in the Eastern Conference with the Buffalo Sabres at 33 points. Montreal is now fifth in the East with 37 points.

Carolina will stay in the RBC Center for another home game against division-rival Florida Thursday night, who is two points behind Carolina right now. Montreal will head back to Canada for a crucial game against the Philadelphia Flyers, a red-hot team with three more points than Montreal.

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