Recap: Canes Outlast Wild In Seesaw Slugfest

RALEIGH, N.C. - In a game that featured two go-ahead goals for both clubs, the Carolina Hurricanes potted the decisive duo en route to a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild at Lenovo Center.

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Thursday's back-and-forth began with a Matt Boldy opener at 5:34, before the fireworks well and truly went off in a five-goal first period. An illegal check to the head of Jalen Chatfield, delivered by Tyler Pitlick, drew the ire of Canes captain Jordan Staal, who sparked his team with just the sixth fighting major of his 20-season career. From there, the clubs traded a lightning round of three goals in 52 seconds, two of which went to Carolina.

Jackson Blake struck first, weaving through all three zones with the puck before wiring a wrister from the right circle past Filip Gustavsson. When Brock Faber responded for Minnesota 31 seconds later, Andrei Svechnikov had an answer for the hosts just 21 ticks after that.

Before the contest could make it to the first intermission, Sean Walker potted his second goal in as many games, giving the home side their first lead of the night.

When play resumed for the second period, the two sides picked up right where they left off. Boldy's second goal of the night leveled the score again, but the deadlock didn't last long. Nine seconds after the equalizer, Nikolaj Ehlers put himself in the goal column for a second straight contest, finishing a Blake dish at the back post.

With a fast-and-furious first 21 minutes in the rearview, both teams settled into a tight-checking tussle. Neither side scored again, with each goaltender coming up with answers they couldn't find earlier in the contest, and Carolina's banged-up blue line holding strong amid a third-period push from Minnesota.

Frederik Andersen posted 20 saves on 23 shots, earning his first win in his last three starts.

Stats & Standouts

• Forward Jordan Staal skated in his 910th game as a Hurricane, taking sole possession of the team record (since relocation) for games played with the club. Among franchise leaders, only Ron Francis (1,186) and Glen Wesley (913) have played more.
• Forward Jackson Blake posted a pair of points (1G, 1A) for his first multi-point performance of the season. The second-year skater recorded six such performances as a rookie in 2024-25.
• Forward Nikolaj Ehlers netted the game-winning goal, scoring for the second straight game after recording his first marker as a Cane on Tuesday in New York, and has now recorded six points (2G, 4A) in his last eight games.
• Defenseman K'Andre Miller returned from a six-game absence (lower-body injury), skating 23:13 and recording an assist in the first period. Miller is up to five points (2G, 3A) in seven games with Carolina.
• Defenseman Sean Walker recorded two points (1G, 1A) for the second straight game, marking the first time in his career that he has posted multiple points in consecutive contests.
• With Walker's tally, a Hurricanes defenseman has now scored in four straight games, and the team now boasts nine goals from the blue line this year - tied with Washington for the second-most in the NHL behind Columbus (11).
• Minnesota and Carolina combined for three goals in a span of 52 seconds during the first period, marking the fastest three tallies by two teams this season.
• Similarly, the two second-period strikes by Matt Boldy and Nikolaj Ehlers were the fastest two goals scored by a pair of teams since Carolina and Los Angeles combined for a double on March 22 of this year.

They Said It...

Jackson Blake discussing how the group navigated their way to victory...

"We didn't change what we were doing when we were scoring, right? Obviously, there weren't a lot of shots in the first couple of periods, and then in the third, I thought we were just kind of shoving it down their throat a little bit. Every time we got it, we were putting it toward the net. It causes chaos, right? I loved the way we played tonight. Obviously, there's some things to clean up a little bit on the goals [against], but overall, I thought we were really good tonight."

Sean Walker after his second goal in as many games...

"We've definitely talked about getting more pucks to the net. I knew the power play was kind of winding down and Jarv made a great pass to me. I saw that I could definitely get it by the first guy, and luckily, it was a good screen by their guy."

Rod Brind'Amour on K'Andre Miller's return to the lineup...

"His reach is incredible, and because he's so fast, he can close [in on guys] quick. He broke up many, many opportunities for the other team and then created a bunch for us. For a guy who missed a couple of weeks, that was pretty impressive."

Jordan Staal on getting a win the night he became the team's all-time leader in games played...

"I appreciate the boys battling it out for me there and getting a good memory out of a milestone game. I'm glad we got the two points. It's been a fun ride and a lot of fun with these guys here and all of the other teammates I've played with. It's been such a joy and a blessing. I'm just happy to keep going."

What's Next After This Game?

• The Canes are scheduled to practice on Friday. They'll return to game action on Saturday at Lenovo Center when they host the Buffalo Sabres.
• Next Game: Saturday, Nov. 8 vs. Buffalo | 7:00 p.m. ET | Tickets | Parking