The Carolina Hurricanes made some history Monday, even if they didn’t win.
The Canes were beaten 4-3 in overtime by the Dallas Stars but are headed to the Stanley Cup playoffs for a third straight season, a first since the franchise relocation to North Carolina in 1997.
Jamie Benn was the overtime hero for the Stars, winning it at 2:44 of the OT. Benn also had three assists as the Stars (21-15-12) continued to make their own playoff push in the Central Division.
The Canes (31-10-7) needed one point to clinch a third consecutive berth. With 69 points, they maintained their lead the division.
Trailing 3-2 in the third, the Canes tied the score as defenseman Jani Hakanpaa first won a puck battle in the neutral zone, then took a pass from Morgan Geekie and blasted a long shot with 4:14 left in regulation.
Joe Pavelski’s power-play goal and an even-strength score by Jason Dickson gave the Stars a 2-0 lead in the first. Fourth-line forward Max McCormick scored in the second period, batting a shot past goalie Jake Oettinger for his first of the season, and defenseman Jaccob Slavin tied it 2-2.
Having stolen the momentum, the Canes then lost it. The Stars’ Denis Gurianov scored at 17:04 of the second after a Canes turnover for a 3-2 lead as Benn earned his third assist of the game.
Oettinger, a big man in net at 6-foot-5, finished with 29 saves. James Reimer, in just his second start for the Canes since April 1, had 27 stops.
There were a number of signs in the first period it might not be the Canes’ night.
Defenseman Dougie Hamilton, playing his 600th career game, was called for hooking 16 seconds into game.
The Stars scored on the power play when Pavelski knocked the puck off the back of Canes defenseman Jani Hakanpaa and past Reimer.
The Canes’ Martin Necas attempted to score on a lacrosse play that teammate Andre Svechnikov has twice converted. Necas had the puck roll off his stick.
The Stars’ Dickinson had a bouncing puck go off his skate and past goalie James Reimer.
Did Dickinson kick the puck? It looked that way. But the goal was upheld and the Canes in a 2-0 hole against one of the best defensive teams in the league.
So it went in the first. Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour decided to dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen, dropping forward Drew Shore from the lineup and bringing back defenseman Jake Bean.
McCormick also stayed in the lineup and the Canes’ fourth line got the first goal. Morgan Geekie made a shortside pass from behind the goal, the puck bouncing up and being swatted out of the air by McCormick.
Slavin then tied it 2-2, catching Andrew Cogliano without a stick and firing shot past Oettinger. But Gurianov soon answered and the Stars were back in front.
Sebastian Aho and Svechnikov had different wingers rotate in and out -- Warren Foegele, Necas, Steven Lorentz.
