The Carolina Hurricanes began their quest for the 2021 Stanley Cup with an impressive outing, defeating the Nashville Predators 5-2 in front of a season-high 12,000 fans inside PNC Arena Monday evening. The win put the Hurricanes ahead 1-0 in the first-round series matchup.
Coming off back-to-back losses to Nashville to end the regular season, things didn’t get off to the best start for the Canes as the visiting team jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a goal from Filip Forsberg at the 12:14 mark. The deficit would be short as Teuvo Teravainen knotted the game at 1-1, redirecting a shot in front of the net – sending both teams to an even score first intermission.
The Captain, Jordan Staal, made it happen in the second period, breaking the tie with a goal just 4:19 into the period on a pass from defensive man Brett Pesce. The score headed to another tie, this time at 2-2 as former Hurricane Erik Haula scored at the 8:41 mark – adding to his recent tear against his former squad. Both teams traded a few chances, but neither could break the tie as the score remained tied at two heading into the second intermission.
From the drop of the puck to start the final stanza, Carolina imposed their will on the Predators, getting goals from Nino Niederreiter and The Captain again, making the score 4-2 in favor of Carolina. With the game all but iced, Andrei Svechnikov erased any chance at a Nashville miracle with his empty-net goal with just under two minutes remaining – making the final score 5-2 in favor of the “Bunch of Jerks,” ending their three-game losing streak, but most importantly, showing the grit and physical play they are known for to take an early 1-0 series lead.
Stars Of The Game
First Star – Jordan Staal – 2 Goals
Second Star – Brett Pesce – 2 Assists
Third Star – Nino Niederreiter – 1 Goal
Up next: Game 2 – Wednesday, May 19, 2021. PNC Arena. 8 PM