RALEIGH, N.C. _ When in overtime against the Boston Bruins, the Carolina Hurricanes can count on the Finns.
The Canes topped the Bruins, 4-3, on Sunday at PNC Arena on Sebastian Aho's shot from the slot at 1:34 of overtime.
It was the second goal of the game for Aho, the rookie from Finland who quickly is becoming one of the Canes' most dangerous offensive players. Aho was named the game's first star.
Teuvo Teravainen, a fellow Finn, had the overtime goal to give the Canes a 3-2 victory over the Bruins in the Dec. 23 game at PNC Arena.
The third period was a shootout, the kind that entertains fans, ages coaches and leaves the players exhausted.
The Bruins, trailing 2-1 after two periods, tied the score at 5:49 of the third on a David Backes goal.
After sustained pressure in the Canes zone, Backes spun around defenseman Justin Faulk in front of the net and scored his 11th of the season.
Less than two minutes later, Jay McClement's goal pushed the Canes back ahead 3-2, McClement slamming in a pass from Viktor Stalberg.
The lead lasted 23 seconds. Boston's Brad Marchand whipped a shot from the left circle and it was 3-3.
The Canes had taken a 2-1 lead with goals from Sebastian Aho and Derek Ryan in the second _ Aho getting his ninth on a goal challenged by Boston coach Claude Julien and Ryan off the rush on a Jordan Staal pass.
All but forgotten by game's end was that Canes goalie Cam Ward and Boston's Zane McIntyre both had made some dazzling saves. Ward's scrambling pad save on a Riley Nash shot in the second was among his best of the season, yet a frustrated Ward smashed his paddle during the wild third.
Ward later made back-to-back stops on Marchand with a little less than eight minutes left in regulation with the score tied at 3.
The Bruins' Tim Schaller beat Ward in the first with a spinning backhander at 13:10. That came after Nash forced a turnover behind the net.
Aho botched a rush into the Boston zone early in the second. But the Finn, who rarely shows any emotion on the ice, got the Canes on the board by going to the front of the net.
Aho got a piece of Jaccob Slavin's point shot as he jostled with Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo in front. Carlo gave Aho a push into McIntyre Julien used his coach's challenge to claim goaltender interference, but Aho's goal was upheld.
Later in the period, Ward made his spectacular save. Nash, the former Canes forward, was looking at an empty net, but Ward thrust out his left pad _ the puck hitting him near the knee _ to make the stop, then denied Nash again as he tried to chip the puck in.
McIntyre nearly matched it on Ryan's goal, with 5:32 left in the second. Staal and Ryan teamed up for the goal, Staal with a well-placed saucer pass off the rush, and McIntyre got a piece of Ryan's shot _ although not enough _ with his left pad.
Ward was making his 16th consecutive start for the Canes and Mcintyre just his third NHL start.
McIntyre, 24, was named the American Hockey League's goaltender of the month in December. The former North Dakota star, a Hobey Baker Award finalist in 2014-15, was recalled Friday by the Bruins for the third time this season, bringing a 10-0-0 AHL record with him.
The Canes challenged McIntyre in the first, getting off 13 shots, but couldn't convert.
On an early Canes power play, Jeff Skinner made a nice setup pass to Victor Rask in front of the crease, but McIntyre stopped a Rask chip, then a rebound try by the Canes center.
Late in the period, McIntyre stuck out his left pad to deny Aho, who was active around the net much of the game.
