Hurricanes 3, Canadiens 2
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Center Jeff Skinner scored his second goal of the game five seconds into a power play with 7:32 left and goalie Cam Ward stopped 36 shots as the Carolina Hurricanes snapped a three-game skid by defeating the Eastern Conference-leading Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Saturday.
Carolina, 29th out of 30 teams on the power play, scored two man-advantage goals for only the second time this season to improve to 9-13-4. Meanwhile, Montreal (19-6-3) came into the game ranked second in the NHL on the penalty killing and allowed two power-play goals for only the second time, falling to 9-3-1 on the road.
Skinner, a two-time 30-goal scorer, has been one of the team's top offensive threats over the last five seasons, but hasn't been able to capitalize much with five goals entering the game before his two in this one, including the game-winner batted out of mid-air off a shot from defenseman Brett Pesce.
It appeared that Carolina had taken the lead 14 seconds into the third as a slumping Eric Staal, without a goal in 14 straight games, took advantage of a bad clearing pass by Montreal goalie Mike Condon. But after a coaching challenge review it was ruled that Staal had interfered with Condon, allowing the puck to cross the goal line.
The Hurricanes hit three posts during a power-play and another one shortly after the man-advantage had expired as the league's lowest scoring team continued to struggle before Skinner's tally.
Carolina and Montreal traded goals two minutes apart in the middle of the second period to head into the third tied 2-2.
Montreal rookie right wing Sven Andrighetto scored his third goal in seven games when he was left alone in front of Ward off a faceoff. But Joakim Nordstrom, who was acquired in a September trade from Chicago, notched his first goal in the Carolina uniform and first in 64 games, knocking in a rebound off a shot by Andrej Nestrasil to quickly tie the score.
Nestrasil, a healthy scratch several times this year, assisted on Carolina's first two goals, giving the center his second two-point game in the last five.
Former Union College star Daniel Carr wasted little time adjusting to the NHL, scoring on his first shift when he beat Ward 2:44 into the game on a wraparound chance. It was the 17th time Montreal has scored first in its 28 games.
Skinner tied the score later in the period at the tail end of a power play with a nifty backhand-to-forehand move in front of Montreal goaltender Mike Condon to notch his sixth of the season.
NOTES: Carolina RW Kris Versteeg was a healthy scratch for the first time this season. ... Former Hurricanes RW Alexander Semin missed his fifth straight game for Montreal because of a lower body injury. ... Carolina recalled three players from AHL affiliate Charlotte on Friday, including LW Phillip Di Giuseppe, the team's second round pick in 2012 who made his NHL debut Saturday night. ... Coming into the game, Montreal was a sparkling 15-1-3 against the Eastern Conference. ... The Canadians and the Washington Capitals as the only teams in the league in the top five on the power play (fourth) and penalty kill (second). ... Montreal D P.K. Subban played in his 234th straight game.