RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Ten games into his career as an NHL head coach, Rod Brind’Amour isn’t ready to rank victories based on quality of opponent. He’ll take any victory, especially the way his Carolina Hurricanes topped the talented San Jose Sharks on Friday night.
The Hurricanes rallied from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits for a 4-3 shootout victory, snapping San Jose’s three-game win streak.
“I think the way we won is what’s important vs. necessarily who we (beat),” Brind’Amour said. “The way we came back after getting punched in the face, really a couple of times, I think that speaks a lot for the group.”
Brock McGinn scored in regulation and had the lone shootout goal for the Hurricanes.
Carolina outshot San Jose 23-6 from start of the second period to the midpoint of the third and finished with a 41-23 edge. It was the first time the Sharks had been outshot this season.
“Once we got the lead, we got a little too comfortable and laid off the gas, and they hit it,” San Jose defenseman Erik Karlsson said. “And once they did, we couldn’t find a way to get back. We were on our heels for pretty much half the game. We were a little lucky to scrap out a 3-3 score, and once it gets to a shootout, it’s a coin-toss.”
McGinn, Teuvo Teravainen and Dougie Hamilton scored for Carolina in the second period, and Teravainen assisted on Hamilton’s goal. Antti Suomela, Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl scored for the Sharks.
Petr Mrazek made 20 saves for Carolina, and Aaron Dell had 38 saves for San Jose.
He couldn’t get to McGinn’s shot when he needed to.
“I made a little fake and went low glove side,” McGinn said. “It’s trusting your moves. On my fake, he really opened up, and I had a little spot to put it.”
In the shootout, Dell stopped Justin Williams, and Mrazek saved a shot from Logan Couture. After McGinn scored, Joe Pavelski hit the post for San Jose. Sebastian Aho had a chance to clinch it for Carolina, but his shot hit the post. The Sharks’ third shooter, Joonas Donskoi, shot wide.
Carolina outshot San Jose 16-5 in the second period, rallying from deficits of 2-0 and 3-1 to tie it at three on Teravainen’s second goal of the season. Aho assisted, giving him points in the first 10 games of the season.
Carolina’s anemic penalty kill failed to stop San Jose on its first two chances, and the Sharks took a 3-1 lead at 5:47 of the second on Hertl’s fourth goal of the season.
McGinn’s first goal of the season cut the margin to 3-2 midway through the second after a San Jose turnover in front of goalie Dell.
Hamilton’s first goal as a Hurricane, 1:12 into the second, got Carolina going. His shot deflected off Brent Burns’ stick and floated over the glove of Dell.
San Jose scored twice in a span of 1:39 in the first period. Suomela scored his first NHL goal on a nifty, leaping move past Mrazek, and Meier scored on the power play to make it 2-0 after 20 minutes.
NOTES: Carolina entered the game 28th in the league on the power play and 29th on the penalty kill. … Aho’s point streak is second in franchise history to start a season, behind only Ron Francis’ 11-game streak to begin the 84-85 season. … Micheal Ferland’s assist of Hamilton’s goal gives him a five-game point streak. … Hamilton has recorded a shot on goal in 175 consecutive games. … The teams each entered the game with 5-3-1 records, and both played their third OT game. … Burns picked up two assists in the first 8 1/2 minutes, giving him 10 on the season. … Meier’s goal gave him points in seven consecutive games. … San Jose’s Pete DeBoer coached his 750th NHL game. … The teams meet again Dec. 5 in San Jose.
UP NEXT:
San Jose: At Anaheim on Sunday.
Carolina: Hosts New York Islanders on Sunday.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.