Hurricanes-Bruins updates: Carolina defeats Boston, 3-2, in Game 7 at PNC Arena

Third period

David Pastrnak scores: Canes defender stick explodes on a slapper by Skjei, and the puck skitters to Pastrnak, who buries it. Canes lead now 3-2.

Empty net for Boston: Swayman out of net with 2:45 left in regulation.

Maybe a goal?: Staal might have beat Swayman on the stuff there but not sure there’s going to be a conclusive replay. Lindholm sure looks to dig it out from across the line. Update here: No goal.

Tension mounts in final 3 minutes: TV timeout with 3:04 to go. Faceoff in Boston end. Swayman still in net although not for long presumably. Did not pull him on the PP.

Bruins get the PP they’d been waiting for: Smith puts it into the seats and the Bruins get their first power play with 6:27 to go. Update here: The Canes kill it, and the crowd goes bonkers. Bruins get no shots and the Canes clear multiple times.

Coyle fans on empty net: Charlie Coyle had a chance to pull Boston within one, and he fanned on a feed from Craig Smith.

Canes get away with one, too: The officials have apparently put their whistles away for the third period and will let the players decide this the best they can 5-on-5. Pretty obvious trip against the Bruins’ Nosek goes uncalled.

McAvoy gets away with one, too: Charlie McAvoy slips his foot under Brady Skjei and trips him up from behind near the bench. Skjei crawls through the door, McAvoy skates away. No penalty, but there should have been. Skjei to the room. Not good.

Pastrnak rattled: Smith smacks Pastrnak — maybe not so legally — and Pastrnak is slow to get up and heads straight to the bench. Missed call there on Smith, and the Canes dodge a bullet.

Second period

Canes hold their lead: A rather mundane last part of the second period was just how the Canes wanted it. With 20 minutes to play in this one, Boston needs to mount a significant comeback. Doable? Yep. Won’t be easy.

Haula avoids a penalty: DeAngelo took another stick in the mouth, this time from Haula, but no call. He gets to the bench and is screaming at the refs.

It’s ... crowded: Canes PA just announced that the crowd of 19,513 is the largest in Hurricanes’ history.

Domi. Again.: Trent Frederic hits iron at one end, and then the Canes respond by missing the iron and hitting the twine. Pinpoint feed from Teravainen and Domi skates into the slot at the right time for his brace.

Boston responds quickly: Excellent Charlie McAvoy play in center ice to start the transition, and Jake DeBrusk buries the chance in front. Deficit cut in half.

Lead doubles: Carolina gets a timely goal from Max Domi to double its lead. Domi, again. Sneaks out of the corner, deflection comes right to him off Jordan Staal as he battles with Lindholm in front, slips the puck between Swayman and the near post. 2-0.

Bruins penalty kill stout: The Canes have again misfired on the power play, this time squandering an extended 5-on-4 on a double minor. There was one pipe.

Early ‘ping’: Trockeck shot hits the pipe, may have been tipped in front. That was a LOUD ping.

First period

Big save at the horn: Swayman with a big stop right before the horn. 1-0 Canes after one. They’ll have 3:03 of PP time to start the second.

Big penalty to Boston: Tony DeAngelo clipped with a high stick and it draws blood. Automatic 4-minute minor for high sticking with less than a minute to play in the first period.

Carolina draws first blood 5-on-5: Slavin finds Domi left alone next to the net. Touch pass to Teravainen in the slot gets the Hurricanes on the board first. Slavin’s having a GAME.

Canes defense leading the way: Canes’ dmen doing a very good job getting the puck out and going the other way against Boston’s forecheck so far.

Raanta with a huge save: Taylor Hall took a great feed from Haula and seemingly had an open net, until Raanta flashed his right pad. Following that, another set of even-up penalties and we’re 4-on-4 again.

First PP to Carolina: Kotkaniemi dumps the puck past Forbort and Forbort tackles him. Holding call — and Carolina gets the first PP. Update here: No goals for Carolina on the PP, but it looked solid. Crisp passing, a couple of solid chances.

Solid save by Raanta: Pasternak shot tipped a bit in front. Handcuffed Raanta, who squeezed the elbow to keep the game scoreless.

Goalies settling in: It’s been good for both goalies to see the puck in this game. Raanta and Swayman have both seen rubber and have turned it all back to this point. Far better than sitting cold for a while to start the game, per most keepers.

Odd penalty calls: Teravainen cross-checked in the Bruins end, no call. Then Craig Smith goes high on DeAngelo. Trocheck goes after him and they both get roughing calls. Smith was an obvious one. Trocheck didn’t do much.

Hearing footsteps?: Big shift from the Aho line, and Svechnikov finishes it with a big hit on Lindholm. Bruins ice it. Lindholm could hear Svechnikov chugging toward him. Swayman with a good save on a Jarvis chance, too.

Early stick battle: Brad Marchand takes a whack at Brady Skjei as they go to the bench after a Skjei shot and stop by Swayman. Leeway here early from Lee as both could have gone there.

Morning update

Steven Lorentz, who has yet to play in the series, was out for warmups Saturday instead of Derek Stepan. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said earlier Saturday that Lorentz could draw into the lineup. Stepan replaced the injured Jordan Martinook in Game 4.

Steve Kozari and Chris Lee are the referees. Lee worked Game 4 in Boston. Jonny Murray, who was injured in Game 3 in Boston when a member of the TD Garden ice crew collided with him and finished out the game but hadn’t worked since, is one of the linesmen along with Ryan Gibbons.

Aaron Ward — who won two Game 7s in 2006 with the Hurricanes and was on the losing end against them with the Bruins in 2009 — will sound the siren before the first period, followed by Carolina Panthers safety/N.C. State star Juston Burris and Wake Forest basketball coach Steve Forbes.

Pregame reading

• Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour sets priorities before Game 7 against the Bruins

• Hurricanes Game 6 loss to Bruins sets stage for ‘Saturday night in Raleighwood’

• For Hurricanes, Game 7 with Bruins could be dream finish or nightmarish end

• DeCock: Hurricanes got away from what made them successful. They have one shot to get it back

• Hurricanes bring perfect Game 7 record into matchup with Bruins Saturday at PNC Arena

• Hurricanes can’t close out Bruins on the road as Boston forces Game 7 with 5-2 win

• DeCock: Hurricanes had every chance to finish Bruins. Now, season comes down to that: chance

• Hurricanes treating Game 6 against Bruins as ‘absolute must-win,’ hope to avoid Game 7

• DeCock: Hurricanes’ Niederreiter proves versatility in helping shut down Bruins’ top players

• Hurricanes dominate Bruins in Game 5, take 3-2 playoff series lead back to Boston

• DeCock: For different reasons, DeAngelo, Jarvis answer call in complete Canes win over Bruins

• Quietly, Hurricanes goalie was the first star in Game 5. Can he do it again in Game 6?

• ‘Loudest house in the NHL’ does its part to help Hurricanes batter Bruins in Game 5

• Hurricanes’ Seth Jarvis feeling pain of friendly-fire low blow, ‘fine’ to face Bruins

• DeCock: Hurricanes beating Bruins between blue lines, but losing playoff battle between the ears

• Hurricanes’ Tony DeAngelo moves past Game 4 vs. Bruins: ‘Just playoff hockey. All good.’

• Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour frustrated by NHL rule application on Bruins goal

• Bruins rattle Hurricanes, win Game 4 and send playoff series back to Carolina tied 2-2

• Bruins’ big guns deliver in Boston. Now, can the Hurricanes answer in Game 5 at home?

• DeCock: Hurricanes turn what might’ve been quick series into slog. There’s no one else to blame

• Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy misses Game 4 against Hurricanes, placed in NHL COVID protocol

• DeCock: In role reversal, Hurricanes’ Svechnikov mentoring Kochetkov, who’s 9 months older

• Hurricanes defenseman simmering over Antti Raanta injury, collision with David Pastrnak

• DeCock: By any name — Pyotr, Peter — fiery Hurricanes goalie Kochetkov is ‘that kind of guy.’

• Carolina Hurricanes built a consistent, winning culture by ‘trying to be like Boston’

• DeCock: Carolina Hurricanes owner, NHL commissioner push for arena upgrades — and it’s about time

This story was originally published May 14, 2022 3:34 PM.