Jordan Staal scored a hat trick and the Carolina Hurricanes overcame a two-goal deficit to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Thursday night in Raleigh, N.C.
Staal’s third goal came 20 seconds into the third period, giving him a goal in each period and eight this season. It was the captain’s fifth career hat trick (including one in the postseason) and his first since April 10, 2022.
Eric Robinson, Jackson Blake and Seth Jarvis also scored for the Hurricanes, who played in the first of three home games across four nights. Jordan Martinook supplied three assists, and Pyotr Kochetkov made 30 saves.
Nicholas Robertson, William Nylander and Auston Matthews provided the goals for Toronto, which had a five-game winning streak snapped. Maple Leafs goalie Joseph Woll, who had won in his last five starts, stopped 28 shots.
The Maple Leafs led 2-0 in the first period, going up on Robertson’s goal just 1:59 into the game.
Nylander’s goal was next on a breakaway with 7:29 to play in the period. It came shortly after he was stopped by Kochetkov on a breakaway, but he ended up with his 24th goal of the season anyway.
But Robinson and Staal scored from in front of the net 17 seconds apart. Robinson knocked in on a scramble in front, while Staal was the recipient of Andrei Svechnikov’s work and pass from behind the net.
Staal’s short-handed goal put Carolina on top 35 seconds into the second period, but Matthews responded with an equalizer before the power play expired.
Blake scored the go-ahead goal 4:58 into the second period. Juha Jaaska recorded an assist on that play for his first NHL point.
Playing in his 885th consecutive game, Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns moved into the sixth spot on the NHL’s all-time list. Burns logged an assist on Staal’s third goal, giving him 11 assists this season.
The Jarvis goal went into an empty net with 3:37 to play. Carolina has won five of its last six home games.
–Field Level Media
