Hurricanes 5, Sharks 3
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Rookie center Elias Lindholm scored the go-ahead goal in the Carolina Hurricanes' four-goal third period as they rallied from a two-goal deficit to defeat the San Jose Sharks 5-3 Friday night at PNC Arena.
Lindholm found room near the crease to deposit the winning goal with 6 minutes to play, giving Carolina its season-best three-game winning streak.
The Sharks, who lost 5-1 on Thursday night at Pittsburgh, have gone pointless in consecutive games for the first time this season. They hadn't lost in regulation when leading after two periods in 17 previous games this season.
The Hurricanes went ahead twice in the final period.
Sharks defenseman Justin Braun tied the score with 10:25 remaining with a shot from near the blueline.
Defenseman Jay Harrison, center Riley Nash and center Jordan Staal also scored for the Hurricanes, who have won only seven of 17 home games. Center Eric Staal added an empty-net goal.
Center Jordan Staal nudged the puck over the goal line after San Jose goalie Alex Stalock made an initial stop, putting Carolina ahead for the first time. It didn't last long before Braun pulled the Sharks even.
Center Tommy Wingels and defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic staked the Sharks to a 2-0 lead in the first period.
San Jose, playing its sixth game in a 10-day span, was denied reaching the 20-win mark for the second night in a row.
Goalie Cam Ward, who didn't play in the previous two games, stopped 21 shots.
Stalock made 29 saves. Stalock, in only his fourth full game of the season, allowed only one goal on Carolina's first 27 shots.
The Sharks struck first when Wingels' tipped a shot by defenseman Jason Demers 7:09 into the game. The tally came after the Hurricanes failed to clear the puck when Ward retrieved it from behind the net.
Stalock's sprawling save with his right leg denied Hurricanes center Nathan Gerbe later in the first period.
Before the first session ended, Vlasic scored by sending a shot through traffic at 16:31.
Harrison's goal was part of a fluky sequence when his blast from inside the blueline ricocheted off the boards behind Stalock and bounced off at least one Sharks player and into the net.
The tying goal came when Nash redirected Harrison's shot with 15:06 left in the third period.
Nash, who assisted on the first goal, has points in consecutive games for the first time this season. He was credited with the game-winner Thursday night at Nashville.
NOTES: The Sharks scratched D Brad Stuart, who scored game-winning goals in three of the previous 11 games, based on a coach's decision. ... Hurricanes LW Drayson Bowman missed a game for the first time this season. He has a lower-body injury. ... Carolina RW Patrick Dwyer sat out a night after he took a high stick to the face at Nashville. ...The Hurricanes recalled LW Zach Boychuk from Charlotte of the AHL. They put D Mike Komisarek on injured reserve with a lower-body ailment. ... G Antti Niemi was the San Jose backup after starting eight consecutive games. ...The teams meet again March 4 at San Jose. ... The Sharks conclude their four-game road trip with Sunday's game at Minnesota. ... Carolina won't play at home again until Dec. 20, beginning four-game road stretch Monday at Vancouver.
