The Carolina Hurricanes scored two late goals in the second period, and added three more in the third on Monday night in defeating the Boston Bruins 5-1 in Game 1 of a best of seven NHL Eastern Conference first round playoff series at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Boston, who was dominated in three games in the regular season against Carolina by a 16-1 goal margin, would get off to a good start with a 9-1 shots on goal advantage over the first 10 minutes. Neither team would put anything on the scoreboard in the first 20 minutes however, as Antti Raanta for the Hurricanes and Linus Ullmark for the Bruins both making their first career playoff start in net kept it scoreless. Boston had some good chances with their fourth line with just over five minutes left in the second period, but were turned away by Raanta. Carolina finally broke the defensive stalemate when a slapshot by Jaccob Slavin was deflected in by Seth Jarvis in front of Ullmark at 16:28. It was the first career playoff goal for Jarvis. Just 2:10 later, Nino Niederreiter let a wrist shot go from outside the left faceoff circle through traffic that found the back of the net to make it 2-0 Hurricanes. Taylor Hall got the Bruins back into the game at 2:53 of the third period. Hall let a wrist shot go from the high slot that changed directions on its way past Raanta after a feed by Erik Haula from behind the net to slice the deficit in half. Hall nearly tied it just over a minute later with a hard shot that hit off the post. The hosts put it away at 7:02 after an errant shot by Hall came around the boards and led to a 2 on 1 break. Vincent Trocheck made a beautiful pass to Teuvo Teravainen who one-timed it into the net. The Hurricanes scored two more late goals by Trocheck and Andrei Svechnikov at 16:59 and 17:59.
Haula and Charlie McAvoy had the assists on the Hall goal in the loss for Boston. Ullmark made 20 saves. Jarvis and Trocheck both had a goal and an assist to lead Carolina. The 32 year old Raanta in place of top goalie Frederik Andersen who is injured was brilliant in the start stopping 35 of 36 shots. Both teams who have struggled late in the regular season on the powerplay both went 0-3 with the extra man. Game two in Raleigh is scheduled for Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
