Hurricanes rally from 3-goal hole, stun Habs in OT

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A frantic 20 minutes and a goal in overtime gave the Carolina Hurricanes a victory that they hope will turn around their season.

"It's all about the win, and that's what makes you feel so good," said center Eric Staal, the Hurricanes' captain.

Right winger Alexander Semin turned and fired a shot for the winning goal in overtime as Carolina defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-4 after a four-goal rally in the third period Tuesday night at PNC Arena.

Carolina (15-16-9) ended a five-game losing streak in dramatic fashion.

The Hurricanes erased a 3-0 deficit by scoring four times in the first nine minutes of the third period, but Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban scored to tie the game at 10:16.

Semin converted with a nice move with 1:33 to play in overtime.

"At the end of the second (period), we said we can play this out or we can just go for it," Carolina coach Kirk Muller said. "(The third) could be the period that turns the season around."

Hurricanes left winger Jeff Skinner scored two power-play goals in a 37-second span early in the final period, and then Staal tied the game at 4:07.

Carolina's go-ahead goal from center Manny Malhotra came with 11:44 remaining before Subban tied the game two minutes later on a power play.

"That's what makes it such a nice win is that's what we've been preaching the last couple of weeks when we've had a tough stretch," Skinner said. "Just to stick with it."

Carolina had to kill of penalties the last 3:29 of regulation.

Staal's goal was his first in six games, capping a three-goal burst in less than 2 1/2 minutes for the Hurricanes. Then came Malhotra's second goal of the season.

"I thought we were pretty dominant," Staal said. "We could have had two or three more after that."

"We just needed to find one there and then things started loosening up," Skinner added. "It's a fun win."

Montreal left winger Max Pacioretty scored twice after Canadiens center Lars Eller opened the scoring.

It looked dim for the Hurricanes at that point.

"Just go play because for some reason we looked uptight," Muller said he told his team. "There was something left in the tank."

Mounting penalties eventually caught up to the Canadiens.

"We've been disciplined most of the year," Montreal coach Michel Therrien said. "As a coach, I'm responsible for the discipline of my team, and I will make sure it won't happen again."

That included an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty on Therrien. He said it was his first in two years.

Canadiens goaltender Carey Price made 37 saves, stopping all 25 shots through two periods.

Carolina goalie Cam Ward, appearing in back-to-back games for the first time this month, made 21 saves.

Eight of Pacioretty's team-high 17 goals came in December. He had a two-goal outing on the last day of November to give him seven in that month.

The Canadiens scored in just 80 seconds, with Eller sending the puck under Ward's stretched-out leg for his first goal in 12 games. Five of his last six goals have come in road games.

Montreal nearly scored again less than three minutes later when defenseman Andrei Markov's power-play shot hit the post.

"We were ready to play, and I liked our intensity," Therrien said.

Just 7:46 into the game, the Canadiens had their first power-play goal in a five-game span on Pacioretty's first tally.

Ward stopped right winger Brendan Gallagher's breakaway attempt near the midway mark of the second period.

Markov's assist on Pacioretty's goal was his first since Dec. 7, though he is second on the team with 18.

Montreal center David Desharnais had three assists.

Semin has a four-game points streak.

NOTES: Hurricanes D Tim Gleason was scratched, fueling trade speculation. ... Hurricanes G Anton Khudobin was recalled from a conditioning stint with the AHL's Charlotte Checkers. He was scratched Tuesday night. ... C Daniel Briere sat out for the second time in five games for Montreal. ... Hurricanes C Riley Nash was ruled out for the rest of the game after sustaining a lower-body injury in the first period. ... Hurricanes C Eric Staal played in his 730th career game (all with the Hurricanes), passing Glen Wesley for the franchise's all-time lead since the relocation from Hartford, Conn. Only Ron Francis and Wesley played more across all the franchise's games. ... The Hurricanes played their first game since trading enforcer RW Kevin Westgarth to the Calgary Flames for C Greg Nemisz, who was assigned to Charlotte. ... The Canadiens complete a six-game road stretch Thursday against the Stars in Dallas. They haven't played at home since Dec. 17. ... The Hurricanes play three of their next four games on the road, beginning Thursday night against the Capitals at Washington.