Williams scores game-deciding goal in shootout
by Michael Smith @MSmithCanes / CarolinaHurricanes.com
Terrible" was the assessment of the Hurricanes' performance against Vegas on Friday, coming off an extended layoff.
The Canes knew they had to be better, and better they were two days later against the Canucks.
"That was a pretty solid 60-minute effort. It didn't feel like there were any lulls in there," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "I thought we were pretty competitive throughout the whole game."
As was the case in mid-December, the Canes and Canucks played a tight game that couldn't be settled in regulation. Overtime was scintillating, and Williams once again teamed up with
James Reimer to seal the deal in the shootout.
"Good battle," Reimer said. "It was good that we got the win. I think we deserved it. We worked hard for it. Feels good."
A better ending for
Justin Williams' season debut could not have been scripted. The veteran forward, jumping back into game action after missing the first three-and-a-half months of the season, scored the game-deciding goal in a shootout that dragged into the eighth round.
Two weeks later, Williams was tabbed as the Canes' third shooter. Why? Easy.
"He's a pretty clutch guy," Brind'Amour smiled.
Williams snapped off a shot that beat Thatcher Demko, and the pressure shifted back down the ice to Reimer to come up with a save on Bo Horvat.
He's turning into quite a jerk," Reimer joked of Williams. "No, that's awesome. You want a chance to win the game."
Reimer denied Horvat's bid to extend the shootout, sealing the Canes' fourth shootout win in four tries this season.
A thing of beauty for Svechnikov's 20th goal of the season, which, at the time, gave the Hurricanes a 3-2 advantage in the third period.
"He's got that ability. That's the unique talent he possesses as a game-changing player," Brind'Amour said. "He basically goes end-to-end. I don't know how many players can do it like that. … The finish, that's special."
Svechnikov is just the second player in team (since relocation) history to reach the 20-goal mark in each of his first two NHL seasons, joining
Sebastian Aho and Jeff Skinner.
Recap: Canes Top Canucks in Shootout
