Svechnikov's Goal Lifts Hurricanes Past Sharks
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Andrei Svechnikov scored on a rebound with 3:44 remaining in the game to lift the Carolina Hurricanes to a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.
Vincent Trocheck scored the first goal for the Hurricanes, who've won four straight games and seven of their last eight entering the All-Star break. Frederik Andersen posted 27 saves for Carolina.
Rudolfs Balcers scored early in the third period for the Sharks, who are in a 1-3-1 stretch that matches the team's worst five-game span of the season. James Reimer, a former Hurricane, made 27 saves for San Jose.
Trocheck posted his 11th goal of the season just 4:36 into the game. The Hurricanes turned San Jose's neutral-zone turnover into an early lead, with Trocheck firing a shot from inside the blue line.
The Sharks pulled even 3:36 into the third period when Balcers converted. He has scored in three of the past four games in which he has played.
Svechnikov collected a rebound from a shot by Brett Pesce for his 16th goal of the season and seventh goal of the month.
This was Carolina's first game after the midway mark of its schedule, and had set a franchise record with 62 points in the first 41 games entering Sunday.
WE MEET AGAIN
Reimer was the second former Carolina goalies from last season who's made appearances in Raleigh during the Canes' first 21 home games of the season.
Reimer played for Carolina for two seasons, with 22 appearances in 2020-21 and 25 appearances in 2019-20. Sunday was his 25th game of the season with the Sharks.
In December, another of the team's 2020-21 goalies, Alex Nedeljkovic, with Detroit, was back in the building.
When Petr Mzazek came to Carolina with the Toronto Maple Leafs in October, he didn't play. Mzazek was the Hurricanes' top goalie for stretches of the past two seasons. It's possible Mrazek could be in the net when the teams meet in the first game following the All-Star break, as he has returned to action following a long layoff.
FIRST OF ALL
Until Svechnikov's goal, Carolina was in danger of not scoring in the second or third period for the second day in a row. Both goals Saturday in a 2-1 win over New Jersey came in the first period. So, three of the last four goals for the Hurricanes have been recorded in first periods.
UP NEXT
Sharks: At Tampa Bay on Tuesday.
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