RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes’ longest homestand of the season began on a sour note.
The Canes, in the first of eight games at PNC Arena, were beaten 3-2 Saturday by the Dallas Stars.
The Canes (24-9-3) led 2-1 late in the second period before a careless slashing penalty on Andrei Svechnikov in the final minute of the period allowed the Stars (13-12-10) to swing the momentum.
Jamie Benn quickly scored on Dallas’ power play, and Tanner Kero then scored early in the third as the Stars moved ahead 3-2. Goalie Jake Oettinger took it from there, finishing with 41 saves.
Kero’s second goal of the season came after a strong forechecking shift for the Stars. Svechnikov, who appears to be struggling with his confidence, had a turnover in the Canes zone during the sequence.
Andrew Cogliano scored the game’s first goal for the Stars in the opening period, deflecting a shot by Mark Pysyk, but Dougie Hamilton’s 100th NHL goal and fourth of the season tied it in the first.
Hamilton’s goal came on a setup pass from center Vincent Trocheck, who notched his fourth point in three games since returning from injury.
Haydn Fleury’s first goal — and first point — of the season gave the Canes a 2-1 lead in the second. Fleury’s goal came after a big hit in the offensive zone by Cedric Paquette, who then screened Oettinger on the Fleury shot.
Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, named the NHL Rookie of the Month in March, took the loss for the Canes, who had topped the Stars in the first four games between them this season.
