A four-game win streak in jeopardy.

With just minutes left in the second period, the Carolina Hurricanes found themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard against a middling Toronto Maple Leafs squad. With its back against the wall, the Carolina offense dominated, scoring its first of three unanswered goals before the period ended and dominating the third, securing a 5-4 comeback victory.

The Hurricanes (11-4-0) suffocated the Maple Leafs (8-7-1), keeping them in their defensive zone for the entirety of the final 20 minutes. Even after defender Charles Alexis Legault cut his hand on a skate and headed to the locker room — leaving the Canes with only five defenders — the Canes steamrolled any momentum the Maple Leafs had.

Facing a two-goal deficit late in the second, Carolina responded with urgency. The Hurricanes tightened defensively and pushed the pace in transition — something defenseman Sean Walker emphasized during an intermission.

“They’re a skilled team,” Walker said. “They are going to make plays, and they want to jump up and rush, so we just have to make sure we’re above our guys. On the flip side, keep doing what we’re doing and hopefully we’ll get a couple more ourselves.”

With a plethora of opportunities — many finding the post — the Canes were getting antsy for a game-winning goal. Center Logan Stankoven stepped up when his team needed him most. Winger Nikolaj Ehlers denied the attempted clearance, keeping the puck in the zone. Passing it around the defenders, Stankoven came in hot and, without losing any speed, sent a rocket past the goaltender, scoring the game-winning goal.

Winger Taylor Hall brought the Canes to this point by tying the game early in the third. Netminder Dennis Hildeby was too far out of position and trapped in the middle of both teams fighting for the puck. Being in the right place at the right time, all Hall had to do was tap in a deflected puck that came loose in the chaos of players.

Maple Leafs winger William Nylander tallied two goals of his own, the first from a one-on-one opportunity with Canes netminder Brandon Bussi. His second goal, an absolute missile, came in at 88 mph, his hardest shot of the year.

Center Seth Jarvis gave the Canes the lead early on, sending a shot past Maple Leafs netminder Dennis Hildeby off an assist from winger Andrei Svechnikov, extending his point streak to seven games.

Maple Leafs center John Tavares celebrated his 1,200th NHL game with a goal, catching Bussi out of position and tying the match at 2-2.

The Hurricanes return to Raleigh and take on the Washington Capitals on Tuesday, Nov. 11, with a 7 p.m. puck drop.