Brady Skjei and Jaccob Slavin scored in a 3 1/2-minute span of the third period as the Carolina Hurricanes pulled out a season-opening, 5-3 victory against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night in Raleigh, N.C.
Skjei scored the goal-ahead tally with 12:09 to play in a wild third period. The teams combined for five goals in an 11-minute stretch of the final period, with each team posting one short-handed goal.
Skjei and Jordan Staal, who assisted on the Skjei goal, both had a goal and an assist. Michael Bunting and Teuvo Teravainen also had goals for the Hurricanes, who have won five consecutive openers.
Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen made 27 saves.
Mathieu Joseph and Parker Kelly each had a goal and an assist for Ottawa, and Tim Stutzle also scored. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 37 shots.
The Hurricanes, who have been picked as one of the favorites entering the season, dealt with some unusual defensive breakdowns that might have been connected to the start of a new season. Carolina finished with a 42-30 advantage in shots on goal.
Tony DeAngelo had an assist on the Hurricanes' first goal for the 200th point of his career. He returned to Carolina after playing last season for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Joseph scored the game's first goal by tipping the puck on Artem Zub's shot from the point 3:14 into the game.
Bunting, a left winger who was playing in his first game with the Hurricanes, tied the game on a power play 2:55 into the second period.
Teravainen gave Carolina the lead at 17:57 of the second period, and Staal's goal 20 seconds into the third stretched the margin to 3-1.
Ottawa had the game even with 14:11 to play in the third period. Kelly and Stutzle scored 35 seconds apart, with Kelly's goal coming short-handed. Stutzle scored unassisted.
Kelly had just one goal in 55 games last season.
Shortly after Skjei's goal, the Senators ended up on a power play, and Slavin added insurance for the Hurricanes with a short-handed tally.
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