Hurricanes Use Strong Third Period to Eliminate the Islanders

The Carolina Hurricanes got third-period goals from Jack Drury and Stefan Noesen to break a 3-3 tie and defeat the New York Islanders 6-3, eliminating them from the 2024 NHL Playoffs.

The two teams combined for three goals in the first four minutes of the game. Teuvo Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov combined for two goals to open the contest for the Hurricanes, the fastest two goals to begin a playoff game in franchise history. It was 20 seconds faster than the previous mark (3:33 in Game 6 of the 2002 conference semi-finals).

The Hurricanes’ goals, just eight seconds apart, are the fastest two goals in franchise history, besting nine seconds in Game 2 in this series eight days ago. Carolina became the 22nd team in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to score twice in a span of eight seconds or less and the first since the Pittsburgh Penguins did so during Game 3 of the first round of the 2018 Playoffs (0:05).

Mike Reilly scored for the Islanders to make the score 2-1 until Evgeny Kuznetsov scored on a penalty shot to give the Hurricanes a two-goal lead. The penalty shot was awarded when the Islanders’ Alexander Romanov was whistled for covering the puck in the crease.