Many in Raleigh are still coming down from the incredible feelings the Carolina Hurricanes provided in Thursday night's win over the Utah Mammoth. On Whalers Night, the Canes gave the fans a memory they won't soon forget, completing one of the most improbable comebacks in NHL history, and that's not hyperbole either.
The Hurricanes trailed the Mammoth, 4-2, with under two minutes to play in regulation. Andrei Svechnikov scored with 1:59 left to cut the deficit to one. Shayne Gostisbehere tied it 32 seconds later. Jordan Staal completed the trifecta with 29.4 seconds remaining in the third period, stealing two points from the Mammoth's clutches in dramatic fashion.
The @Canes were down 4-2 with two minutes remaining. They won 5-4 in regulation. 🤯
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) January 30, 2026
#NHLStats: https://t.co/KsSxt5tM2J pic.twitter.com/gssXHzyTHO
Per the NHL Public Relations team, the Canes became the third team in NHL history to win in regulation after trailing by multiple goals in the final two minutes. They're the first team to do it in the salary cap era, with the Dallas Stars last doing it over three decades ago. Both the Stars and the Maroons scored three times in the final minute of regulation, with the Maroons doing it in 24 seconds.
It feels like the Hurricanes have developed a knack for big comeback wins late in regulation. There's no shortage of examples over the last few seasons. Almost three years to the day, on January 27, 2023, the Canes trailed the Sharks, 4-2, with 1:52 left after San Jose scored into the empty net. Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas scored to force overtime before Necas won it in extra time.
There have also been plenty of big comebacks in the playoffs over the years, though none quite like this. The closest comparison is Game 2 against the New York Islanders in 2024, when two goals nine seconds apart helped them complete a three-goal comeback. It just goes to show that the Hurricanes are never out of a game.
Of course, it's much nicer when the team opts to play well for 60 minutes and doesn't have to rely on late-game heroics to get the job done. I guess none of that matters when it all ends with two points earned in the standings. For the Hurricanes, it's on to the next one, as they turn their attention to a weekend back-to-back, beginning on Saturday in Washington, D.C.