RALEIGH, N.C. _ It was Scott Darling in net for the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday.
Finally.
After missing the first 11 games of the season with an injury, the goalie made his first start and it would not be a winning one. The Boston Bruins took a 3-2 victory at PNC Arena as pesky Brad Marchand, the player opposing fans love to hate, scored twice and goalie Jaroslav Halak gave his team another quality start and 42 saves.
Darling was sharp in the first period and the first seven minutes of the second as the Canes (6-5-1) limited Boston's opportunities and shots. But the Bruins' David Pastrnak got a sharp-angle shot past Darling on a second-period power play and Marchand with another on a well-placed shot in the final seconds of the period.
The Canes twice converted on the power play, Micheal Ferland battling for a first-period goal and Dougie Hamilton with a smash from the slot in the second. But that was it against Halak, who improved to 4-0-2, as the Canes lost in regulation for the fifth time in the past games.
Sebastian Aho continued his sizzling start to the season with the primary assist on Ferland's goal. The Finnish center has points in all 12 games, breaking Ron Francis franchise record, and he tied an NHL record _ set by Wayne Gretzky of Edmonton (1982-82) and Ken Linseman of Boston (1985-86) _ with an assist in each of the first 12 games of a season.
The game took a turn late in the second period during a Canes penalty kill. The Canes' Warren Foegele carried the puck into Boston zone as the other three Carolina players went to make a change, only to have Boston's Patrice Bergeron separate Foegele from the puck and make a stretch pass to Marchand, alone at the Carolina blue line.
Darling came out to challenge but Marchand ripped a shot to the far side for a 2-2 tie with 18 seconds left in the period.
Compounding the bad change was the Canes having too many men on the ice. The Canes managed to kill off the penalty early in the third but Marchand soon struck again on a wraparound off the rush.
Darling, after a miserable first season with the Canes, did everything asked of him in the offseason. Dropping 25 pounds, he returned for training camp with a slimmer look and a more confident demeanor.
Darling played well in preseason but injured a hamstring in the Canes' final preseason exhibition game, against the Nashville Predators.
He soon was on NHL injured reserve as the Canes picked up goalie Curtis McElhinney off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Canes play their next four games on the road before returning home Nov. 10 against the Detroit Red Wings.
