Cam Ward shuts out Lightning in OT win

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Cam Ward made 30 saves and Phillip Di Giuseppe scored with 3:34 remaining in overtime to help the Carolina Hurricanes to a 1-0 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning at PNC Arena on Sunday.
It was Ward's first shutout in 42 games against the Lightning. Carolina (10-10-5) won its sixth straight at home.

"We're competing," Ward said. "I don't think it's anything magical. It's just coming ready to play. It feels like we've been on the road forever. When you come home, guys are excited and they want to perform well in this building."
The goal was the first of the season for Di Giuseppe, who beat Lightning goalie Ben Bishop with a wrist shot from the right circle after a drop pass Viktor Stalberg.
WATCH: All Lightning vs. Hurricanes highlights
"I tried shooting it quick," said Di Giuseppe, playing his fourth game since being recalled from Charlotte of the American Hockey League. "It was right on the ice. I don't score too many of those, so maybe I will start shooting them."
Bishop made 29 saves for Tampa Bay (14-11-2), which has lost five of its past six games.
Despite a video review, Lightning coach Jon Cooper was adamant that goaltender interference occurred on the goal.
"Intention has nothing to do with it," Cooper said. "[Stalberg] interfered with him. It's called incidental contact. He kicks the stick between Bishop's legs, and the puck goes right there. He wasn't given a chance to make the save. He didn't. I'm blown away."

With 4:07 remaining in the third period, Di Giuseppe thought he had blown his best scoring chance. He spun to his forehand near the left post and pushed a shot wide with Bishop out of position.
"The one in the third, yeah, I couldn't believe it," he said. "(Noah) Hanifin made a great play to me and the goalie was faked out. I had the whole net but I just fanned on it. It all worked out."
Carolina killed two penalties late in the third period that resulted in 22 seconds of a 5-on-3 man advantage for Tampa Bay.
The Hurricanes had a power play midway through the third period but could not capitalize on two quality scoring chances. Jeff Skinner pushed a rebound wide at the right post before Hanifin hit the left post.

Goal of the game

Recognizing that Stalberg and Vladislav Namestnikov screened Bishop on the way past the net, Di Giuseppe made a quick toe drag and shot to fool the Lightning goaltender.

Save of the game

Ward's best came with 8:34 remaining when he fended off a redirected shot from Namestnikov, as well as the rebound. Braydon Coburn began the play with a shot from the left point that changed direction.

Highlight of the game

Bishop made a tough and extremely awkward save early in the second period when he covered the right post to stop Skinner's wrist shot from the right faceoff circle. Bishop was careful not to move until he got a whistle, not knowing what happened to the puck. Linesman Kory Nagy fished the puck out from somewhere inside Bishop's left shoulder pads.

Unsung moment of the game

Tampa Bay had 9:39 of power-play time, including 21 seconds of 5-on-3 in the third period. But the Hurricanes held the Lightning to seven shots with the man-advantage, improving their NHL-best percentage to 91.2.

They said it

"Guys were battling, but we're playing two games in less than 24 hours. You could tell the guys were tired. Same with Carolina. It amped up there in the last 10 minutes of the game when desperation set in and you could win a hockey game, but when both goalies are playing the way they were, that game could have gone a few games without a goal." -- Lightning coach Jon Cooper
"We still need to find a way to score. We need to get different results offensively. We've got to find a way to bear down. We've got to get a little bit more in that net-front presence. We have to take our turn at the net." -- Hurricanes coach Bill Peters
"Lately whenever I get a shot, I'm kind of hoping it goes in, looking if it's going to squeak in. But that one, I kind of shot it not expecting it (to go in). So it was nice to get that one." -- Hurricanes forward Phillip Di Giuseppe

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Need to know

Peters said Jordan Staal (concussion) had an off-ice workout on Saturday and will skate Monday. He may go on the Hurricanes' upcoming road trip. Peters said he hopes to have Elias Lindholm (lower-body) on the trip as well. ...Victor Hedman led the Lightning with five shots, five hits and 26:35 of ice time.

What's next

Lightning: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; SNV, SUN, NHL.TV)
Hurricanes: At Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday (10:30 p.m. ET; FS-CR, FS-W, NHL.TV)