RALEIGH, N.C. _ No one knew what to expect Tuesday when the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders went at it again.
Twelve goals in the game? Eight by the winner? That's what happened Monday when the two teams faced off in Brooklyn and the Canes won.
"It's been crazy, a lot of goals going in," Canes coach Bill Peters said of the season series.
The game Tuesday at PNC Arena wasn't quite as nightmarish for the goalies as the Islanders won 3-2 on John Tavares' goal 34 seconds into overtime.
Goalie Thomas Greiss had 30 saves for the Isles a night after struggling against the Canes. Cam Ward started again for the Canes (28-27-12).
The Islanders (33-25-11) began the game one point out of playoff position in the NHL's Eastern Conference and New York coach Doug Weight didn't try to downplay the importance of the game.
"It's the biggest of the year. We've got to win," Weight said.
The Canes' Joakim Nordstrom scored in the first period and Elias Lindholm early in the second as they took a 2-0 lead. But the Isles tied it with two goals in 25 seconds late in the second period _ the first from rookie forward Josh Ho-Sang, then veteran Jason Chimera 25 seconds later.
In the first three games this season, the Canes had scored seven, five and then eight goals in winning three times. For a goal-challenged team such as the Hurricanes, that qualifies as an offensive onslaught. In Monday's game Jaccob Slavin had a hat trick _ the first by a Canes defenseman since Joe Corvo in March 2008.
Greiss did not start Monday, but was called on to relieve Jean-Francois Berube and allowed four goals on 20 shots as the Canes won 8-4.
The Canes jumped ahead Tuesday as Nordstrom scored in the first period, his second goal in as many nights. Early in the second, Lindholm forced a turnover at the Carolina blue line and ripped a shot past Greiss from the left wing.
But the game then took a turn _ because of Greiss.
The goalie stoned the Canes' Patrick Brown off the rush. Later, he robbed Lucas Wallmark of a goal with another terrific stop.
In the third, Greiss denied Jeff Skinner on a breakaway, then on a shot in the slot. Skinner had two goals Monday, one on a penalty shot against Greiss.
The Canes, with the two-goal lead, twice had power plays in the second period and couldn't convert. Then, the Isles struck.
Ho-Sang, denied by Ward on a first-period breakaway, whipped a shot from the left circle. Twenty-five seconds later, it was 2-2 as Jason Chimera found an opening in the slot.
The Canes lost forward Jay McClement to a lower-body injury after the first period. Defenseman Noah Hanifin later was pulled to the ice in the second, banging his chin, but stayed in the game.
