With the season series tied at one apiece, the Carolina Hurricanes came from behind twice, taking the New York Rangers to overtime where they locked in the win with just 13 seconds remaining.
The Canes (24-11-3) had a slow but physical start against the Rangers (19-17-5), and eventually found their footing in the final period. With each team scoring two goals in regulation, it was Carolina who found the back of the net one more time and took home the win, 3-2.
After being struck by an attempted shot on goal, winger Jackson Blake quickly repositioned himself in front of goaltender Igor Shesterkin, hoping to take away his eyes. Center Sebastian Aho spotted a lane from the top of the zone and fired a shot, which was tipped in past Shesterkin by Blake, marking the game-winning goal and the Canes’ second power-play goal.
JACKSON BLAKE OVERTIME WINNER!!! pic.twitter.com/kk17Mn5tLa
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) December 30, 2025
“I had a lot of great chances tonight,” Blake said. “I tried not to get frustrated with [Shesterkin] because it’s a long game, and you’re always going to miss those ‘grade A’s’ once in a while. I got a lucky one on him in overtime, and it feels good.”
Scrambling to tie the game in the third, defensemen K’Andre Miller and Jalen Chatfield passed the puck between them at the top of the zone. Chatfield saw an open shot and got a deflection off the skate of winger Jordan Martinook, sliding through the goalie’s pads. Martinook, who was knocked over by the Rangers’ defensemen, didn’t realize the credit was due to him for the goal.
Good things happen when you stand in front of the net pic.twitter.com/Lh6JtyjDRd
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) December 30, 2025
“Obviously, when you’re playing Shesterkin, you need to get in front of him,” Martinook said. “If you look at all three goals we scored, it’s traffic in front of him because he is one of the best in the league. [Aho’s] goal, [Svechnikov] is there. In mine, I just get in front of him and hopefully find a way in…No, I didn’t know [where the puck hit]. I didn’t even know it hit me.”
Although their momentum fell flat as the game went on, the Rangers started the game as the better team. Less than two minutes after the opening whistle, winger Artemi Panarin found defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov across the ice, who one-timed it above the shoulder of goaltender Brandon Bussi, tallying a power-play goal.
Also tallying a first period power-play goal, Aho passed the puck around the defense until he had an open shot. Receiving the puck from defenseman Alexander Nikishin, Aho snapped the puck top-shelf, capitalizing on the 5-on-3 situation, and tying the game at one.
“Great puck movement,” Aho said. “Obviously, [Nikishin is] up top kind of dishing the puck left and right, and [Svechnikov], in his eyes, he doesn’t see much and is just kind of a floater. But I picked my spot and was able to put that one in.”
The Hurricanes travel to Pittsburgh and take the ice against the Penguins on Tuesday, Dec. 30, with a 7 p.m. puck drop.
