Hurricanes force Caps to play Game 7

Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C.

Justin Williams earned another chance to live up to his nickname.

The rest of the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t yet ready to end their first playoff appearance in a decade.

Jordan Staal scored the go-ahead goal and added an assist in the third period, and the Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 on Monday night to force Game 7 in their first-round playoff series.

“We didn’t have a tomorrow,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said.

Williams scored an insurance goal seconds after the Capitals had the tying goal disallowed, Warren Foegele and Teuvo Teravainen also scored, Dougie Hamilton added an empty-netter and Petr Mrazek made 23 saves.

The Hurricanes scored three third-period goals in bouncing back from a 6-0 beatdown in Game 5 and prolonging their first playoff appearance in a decade by one game at least.

“We answered the bell,” said Williams — known as “Mr. Game 7” for his NHL-record 14 points in those games, plus his record-tying seven goals and his teams’ 7-1 record in them.

“I said at the start of the series that if they’re going to knock us out, we’re not going to do it easy,” he added. “We’re not going to let it be easy on them. Let’s go play another game.”

Game 7 is Wednesday night in Washington. The winner will play the New York Islanders in the second round.

Alex Ovechkin scored for the third straight game, Brett Connolly also scored and Braden Holtby stopped 31 shots.

Washington — which won 10 road games a year ago on its run to the first Stanley Cup title in club history — went 0-3 on the road in this series after winning both regular-season meetings in Raleigh.

Staal gave the Hurricanes their first lead of the game at 3:51 of the third period, following a scramble in front of Holtby.

Stars 2, Predators 1, OT

DALLAS

John Klingberg scored from the left circle 17:02 into overtime and the Dallas Stars beat the Nashville Predators to wrap up their first-round Western Conference playoff series in six games.

Klingberg’s first goal of the playoffs came on a cross-ice pass from Alexander Radulov.

The win by the Stars came 11 years after the previous time they clinched a playoff series on home ice.

They needed overtime for a 2-1 win in that Game 6 as well — four overtimes to beat San Jose in the second round of the 2008 playoffs.

The Stars will play St. Louis in the second round of these playoffs, just as they did in their previous postseason appearance three years ago.

The Blues, who have home-ice advantage this time, won that 2016 series with a Game 7 win in Dallas.

Ben Bishop had a playoff career-high 47 saves for the Stars.