Jesse Puljujarvi scored at 15:22 of overtime, and Charlotte avoided elimination in Game 5 of the Calder Cup Finals with a 4-3 win against Abbotsford at Abbotsford Centre in Abbotsford, British Columbia, on Saturday.
Puljujarvi won it when his attempted centering pass from behind the net hit two defenders in front and past goalie Arturs Silovs for Charlotte’s second overtime win of the series.
Puljujarvi also had an assist, and Kaapo Kahkonen made 29 saves for Charlotte, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Florida Panthers.
Linus Karlsson scored twice, and Arshdeep Bains had a goal and an assist for Abbotsford, the top affiliate for the Vancouver Canucks. Silovs made 36 saves.
Abbotsford leads 3-2 in the best-of-7 series. Game 6 will be held in Charlotte on Monday (7 p.m. ET).
Ben Steeves gave Charlotte a 1-0 lead at 12:55 of the first period. He knocked in a backdoor feed by Jack Devine at the left post.
Karlsson tied it 1-1 on a 5-on-3 power play at 15:04, scoring at the left post off Bains’ pass across the crease that took a deflection.
Brett Chorske put Charlotte back in front 2-1 at 3:12 of the second period. He scored with a wrist shot from above the right hash marks following a turnover by Abbotsford defenseman Victor Mancini, who slipped and lost the puck near his own blue line.
But Bains tied it 2-2 just 41 seconds later. With the teams at 4-on-4, Bains took a stretch pass from Max Sasson and converted on a breakaway at 3:53.
Abbotsford scored again 4-on-4 on Karlsson’s second of the game at 5:11, a shot from the left circle inside the near post.
Rasmus Asplund tied it 3-3 at 12:12 with a one-timer from the inside edge of the left circle.
