Winger Jackson Blake helped the Carolina Hurricanes take down the Edmonton Oilers 6-3 and tallied two goals, reaching a new career high at 19 goals in a single season.
The Carolina Hurricanes (40-16-6) became the second team to reach 40 wins after standing strong against the Oilers (30-24-8). Keeping the pace high, Carolina doubled Edmonton’s shots on goal and tied the series after losing to them in overtime earlier in the season.
Early in the third period, the Canes held possession in their offensive zone on a delayed penalty. With a man advantage, they passed around the Oilers until a lane opened up. Defenseman K’Andre Miller received the puck from winger Taylor Hall and quickly found Blake out wide. Blake let off a slap shot and found the back of the net to double the lead for his team and tally the game-winning goal.
The only goal from the Canes in the second period was less than two minutes into the period. Miller sent the puck deep into the zone for winger Nikolaj Ehlers to scoop up behind the goal. Faking the direction he was going to go and throwing goaltender Tristan Jarry out of position, he passed the puck around the near side of the goal for winger Jordan Martinook to net the game-tying score on a putback attempt.
The third period’s three goals all came within two minutes of each other. Even though Oilers winger Zach Hyman put his team on the board first with a backhanded shot off a breakaway, the Canes answered 37 seconds later with defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere slapping a one-timer into the back of the net. Later on in the period, Gostisbehere returned to the locker room due to injury and was out for the rest of the game.
“I don’t really have [an update],” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour. “It’s obviously not good. He’s kind of been dealing with stuff, I feel like, all year. Just when he kind of gets rolling, he keeps getting nicked up. So, I don’t really have an update at this time.
46 seconds after the goal from Gostisbehere, Ehlers took possession of the puck at the top of the zone near the blue line. Looking to pass but finding no one open, he took the shot and scored unassisted to give Carolina its first lead of the game.
“[Ehlers has] been just a great addition,” Brind’Amour said. “Today is trade deadline day, and he was a big addition in the summer. That was a big add for our group, and he’s playing really well.”
Down 4-3, Edmonton took out Jarry to put on an extra skater, but couldn’t tie up the game. Instead, goaltender Frederik Andersen tallied his first assist of the season. Andersen found Miller, who found center Jordan Staal down the ice to tap the puck into the empty net and secure the win.
The Hurricanes conclude their road trip by visiting Calgary, taking the ice against the Flames on Saturday, Mar. 7, with a 10 p.m. puck drop.
