After a wild and crazy first period, (no pun intended), both teams settled down and the Carolina Hurricanes ended up with a 4-3 win over the visiting Minnesota Wild.
The win improved their record to 9-4-0.
The first period had a little bit of everything except for outstanding goalie play.
In that period, the Hurricanes scored three times on just seven shots while the Wild scored twice on three shots.
After the Wild scored five minutes into the game, Jackson Blake tied the game off a nice move after getting a pass from new linemate, Nikolaj Ehlers.
Ehlers and Blake seemed to generate some good chemistry in this game.
Just a minute previous to this score, Tyler Pitlick lined up Jalen Chatfield and took him out of the game with a high, dangerous hit. Captain, Jordan Staal took exception and immediately jumped Pitlick and started punching him.
Pitlick was given a game misconduct among other penalties and Staal was given an instigator along with a misconduct.
Cory Lavalette reported that this was the first fight Staal had in eight years.
There was no update on Chatfield’s status after the game.
The goals came fast and furious after this.
Less than a minute after the Blake goal, the Wild took the lead again, but it was short-lived.
Andrei Svechnikov tied the score just 21 seconds later on his patented, sweet move and slick shot.
Sean Walker then closed out the period with a shot from the point to give the home team a 3-2 lead.
Walker has really stepped up his game this season as the Carolina blueline has struggled dealing with injury after injury. He played a team high 24:49 and had two points, (1G 1A). He also saved a goal at the goal line.
To start off the second period Matt Boldy scored his second of the game but that goal was immediately followed up by a goal by Ehlers, off a pass by Blake.
After a slow start, Ehlers now has six points in his last eight games.
That would do it for the scoring as both goalies settled in the rest of the way.
K’Andre Miller returned in this game after missing two weeks because of his his injury and looked very good, especially showing off his long reach.
The Canes will next face the Sabres on Saturday night.