The Associated Press
Joedy McCreary
RALEIGH, N.C.–The Carolina Hurricanes grew accustomed over the years to seeing Cam Ward in goal and winning games.
Both those things happened again last night–but this one was different.
The winningest goalie in Carolina history took the loss in his first game here as a visitor, with Sebastian Aho scoring 1:16 into overtime to lift the Hurricanes past Ward’s new team, the Chicago Blackhawks, 3-2 and spoiling the goalie’s emotional return.
“Obviously, I have a lot to be thankful for, my 13 years here, and wanted to put forth a strong effort,” Ward said.
“Unfortunately, we came to win and it just slipped away there in overtime.”
Teuvo Teravainen and Micheal Ferland scored power-play goals 66 seconds apart late in the second period for Carolina, which has earned points in three-straight and beat Chicago for the second time in four nights.
But the two wins over the Blackhawks are their only victories since Oct. 26.
“We haven’t won a lot lately and, obviously, we need wins to get some confidence,” Aho said.
“We’ve played in many games well, but we haven’t found a way to get those wins, [so] this one feels definitely good.”
Ward stopped 37 shots, Jonathan Toews scored a deflected goal, and Alex DeBrincat added a goal but the Blackhawks still lost their eighth-straight game.
Carolina’s Scott Darling made 33 saves against his former team, in regulation coming up with a slick glove save to stop Patrick Kane on a 2-on-1 and then making a left pad save to stop Nick Schmaltz on a breakaway.
Aho’s winner came after he took a pass at the blueline, then skated in before drifting across the net and beating Ward with a wrist shot.
Ward had stopped Aho on a breakaway earlier in the game and he wanted another shot at his former teammate.
“I got the second chance and I saw [Ward] going down and it was east-west, and I knew he had to move,” Aho said.
Elsewhere in the NHL, the N.Y. Rangers edged Vancouver 2-1, Columbus nipped Dallas 2-1, and Anaheim beat Nashville 2-1 (SO).
