Aho's late goal lifts Hurricanes past Maple Leafs 5-3
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns (8) fires the puck past Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Justin Holl, left, and goaltender Matt Murray, right, for a goal during the first period during an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 25, 2023, in Raleigh, N.C. Credit: AP/Chris Seward
RALEIGH, N.C. — Sebastian Aho scored his team-leading 32nd goal of the season with 2:26 remaining to rescue the Carolina Hurricanes in a 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
Aho’s goal came 32 seconds after Auston Matthews’ second goal for Toronto tied the game. Teuvo Teravainen added an empty-net goal.
Brent Burns, Jordan Staal and Stefan Noesen also scored for Carolina, which won for the fourth time in its last eight games to maintain in first place in Metropolitan Division. Jesper Fast and Martin Necas both two assists.
Pyotr Kochetkov made 41 saves for his first victory in his last three outings.
Calle Jarnkrok had Toronto’s first goal. Matt Murray made 23 saves. Matthews has 36 goals this season, including eight in the last nine games.
Jarnkrok and Matthews scored eight minutes apart in the second period as Toronto erased a 2-0 deficit.
Jarnkrok notched his 18th goal, including six this month. Matthews’ unassisted tally at 12:41 of the second period gave him his 35th goal of the season.
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere (41) and left wing Teuvo Teravainen (86) vie for position as they go after the puck against Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Michael Bunting, center, during the first period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, March 25, 2023, in Raleigh, N.C. Credit: AP/Chris Seward
NOTES: Matthews registered nine shots on goal in the second period and 12 total entering the third period. He finished with 15 shots, tying the franchise single-game record. … Through two periods, Carolina had no player with more than three shots. … Toronto had 33 shots through two periods, marking the most for any Carolina opponent in a full game in the last 15 games.
UP NEXT
Maple Leafs: At Nashville on Sunday.
Hurricanes: Host Boston on Sunday.
