How the Carolina Hurricanes made NHL history with Game 2 empty-net heroics vs. Islanders

Not only was the Carolina Hurricanes’ late comeback against the New York Islanders in Game 2 on Monday dramatic, it was historic.

The Hurricanes became the first team in NHL history to score with their net empty and then into the opposition’s empty net in the third period of a playoff game, according to NHL Stats and Info, which researched the scenario at the request of the News & Observer.

“From what we see, the scenario that happened in your game Monday night has never happened before,” the NHL wrote in an email relayed to the N&O by the Hurricanes. “The other 11 games featured goals scored six-on-five that happened in the first or second period and were probably the result of a goalie being replaced during a delayed penalty. (We don’t track the circumstances of a team skating with an extra attacker.)“

Sebastian Aho scored with Frederik Andersen pulled for an extra attacker and 2:15 left to play to tie the score 3-3 before Jordan Martinook scored the go-ahead goal nine seconds later. The Islanders then pulled Semyon Varlamov for an extra attacker, and Jake Guentzel scored with 56 seconds to play to seal the Hurricanes’ 5-3 win.

The Hurricanes also account for two of the seven instances in NHL history where a team has scored game-tying and game-winning goals in the final three minutes of a playoff game. Their Game 7 win over the New Jersey Devils in 2009, when Jussi Jokinen and Eric Staal scored in the last 80 seconds, is the other.