25 Clutch Goals in Carolina Hurricanes History (Part 1: #25-16)
By Ben Huffman
#19: May 25, 2021- Martin Necas wraps one up against Nashville
Following consecutive 2OT losses in Nashville, the Canes needed to find something, or they were at risk of falling behind in the series. Enter the clutch gene of Martin Necas. After Nashville scored the opening goal, Necas was there to respond. The Predators regained the lead and held it through most of the third period. That changed when Necas picked up some speed and beat Juuse Saros with a gorgeous wrap-around goal to even things up again. This would send the series to a third straight overtime game, which would be won by the Hurricanes, courtesy of the captain Jordan Staal using his stick like a baseball bat.
#18: May 21, 2002- Jeff O’Neill only needed one eye
After splitting two tight games in Raleigh, the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals moved to Toronto, and Game 3 was equally as tight. Jeff O’Neill took a puck to the eye early in the contest, causing it to swell up and turn purple immediately. The Hurricanes and Maple Leafs traded power-play goals as no resolution was found after 60 minutes. In overtime, black eye and all, O’Neill deposited a loose puck into the back of the net to give the Canes a 2-1 win and a 2-1 series lead. Dubbed the “Eye of the Hurricane,” the team would ride this victory to a six-game series win over the Maple Leafs, advancing to their first Stanley Cup Final in franchise history.