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The Carolina Hurricanes took a 3-2 series lead over the Boston Bruins tonight, following a 5-1 win in Game 5.
Only about six minutes into the game, Jaccob Slavin came off the wall and put a shot on Jeremy Swayman that the netminder couldn’t handle and it trickled in, giving the Hurricanes an early lead. Then after Swayman continued to look shaky throughout the frame, Carolina capitalized on a power play, with Tony DeAngelo wiring a one-timer from the point into the top corner, increasing the Hurricanes’ lead. They outshot Boston 12-8 in the period overall and took the 2-0 lead to intermission.
Carolina kept momentum in the second frame and put another 12 shots on Swayman. Then late in the period, Seth Jarvis ended up on the ice by the side of the net but swung his stick at a loose puck and somehow knocked it off a Boston player and backwards into the net. It was one of the strangest goals you’ll see in the playoffs but regardless, it put the Hurricanes up 3-0.
Carolina continued to press in the third period and on a power play only about three and a half minutes into the frame, Seth Jarvis scored his second goal of the game, burying a rebound from Tony DeAngelo’s point shot. Connor Clifton did get the Bruins on the board midway through the period and Boston got the bulk of chances in the back half of the period but Vincent Trocheck iced it with an empty net goal with about three minutes left, securing a 5-1 Hurricanes win.
It’s another big home win for the Hurricanes, where they outplayed the Bruins through some good chunks of the game. They’ve now outscored the Bruins 15-4 at home between Games 1,2 and 5, and while finishing off the series in Boston on Thursday would be ideal, it’s at least reassuring that the Hurricanes have been so good at home this series, if a Game 7 was needed.
That said, Antti Raanta made some awesome saves, including a glove save on Brad Marchand in the first period and a huge one-timer stop against David Pastrnak in the second frame. At the other end, Jeremy Swayman was definitely shaky at times and the Hurricanes certainly benefitted from the winning the goaltending battle.
Once again, the special teams battle was key as well. The Hurricanes capitalized on two of their five power play opportunities and limited the Bruins to just three power plays, going a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
Seth Jarvis scored two more goals tonight as well and continues to make an impact, while Vincent Trocheck’s three points in Game 5 leave him with three goals and seven points this series. Then there’s Jaccob Slavin and Tony DeAngelo on the backend, who have a ridiculous three goals and 13 points combined for the Hurricanes in the series. Through five games, Slavin is already a plus-nine.
The Hurricanes have a chance to wrap up the series in Game 6 on Thursday.
QuizMaker
OTHER ARTICLES FROM MAY
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Antti Raanta shines as Hurricanes beat Bruins 5-1 in Game 1
Hurricanes sign Alexander Pashin
Pyotr Kochetkov steps up for Hurricanes in Game 2 win
Special teams a deciding factor in Hurricanes' Game 3 loss to Bruins
Hurricanes get into penalty trouble, fall to Bruins in Game 4 
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