RALEIGH Carolina rookie winger Sebastian Aho tied the game in the second period with a gritty goal in front, redirecting a shot will tip-toeing outside the crease. He ended it with a laser.After a seesaw third period that included three goals scored in less than two minutes, Aho got the overtime winner Sunday by ripping a wrist shot past Boston goalie Zane McIntyre for a 4-3 Carolina win at PNC Arena.After linemate Teuvo Teravainen who pairs with Aho in regulation and OT intercepted an outlet pass along the boards, he found his fellow Finn in the middle of the Bruins zone with the time and space to pick his spot. Aho did, zipping his wrist shot past McIntyre’s blocker for his second goal of the night and 10th on the season.”Just try to shoot it through the goal to the goal, and I’m glad it went in today,” Aho said.In just his 40th NHL game, Aho reached double digits in goals just seventh forward since the Hurricanes (18-5-7) relocated to Raleigh to do so in a rookie season and became only the third Carolina rookie to register more than one multi-goal games in a freshman campaign. The others are Jeff Skinner (five) and Shane Willis (three).”Steady, steady progression in his development. … The biggest thing, too, is he’s responsible defensively,” coach Bill Peters said of Aho. “He doesn’t have to cheat to generate offense and he’s got pride away from the puck.”Aho didn’t do it alone Sunday.Cam Ward made 32 saves the most he’s made in a win this season including several dazzling ones that keep the Bruins (21-17-5) at bay. His best was with less than seven minutes remaining in the second period with the game tied at 1. After a Zdeno Chara wrist shot bounced off net, Tim Schaller fed Riley Nash right in front, but Ward made an stand-up kick save and eventually covered the puck in the crease after Carolina’s Ty Rattie hovered over it on all fours.”That’s a little bit of desperation, a little old-school stand-up there with the kick save,” Ward said. “You don’t see too many of those anymore, but I’m sure CuJo (goaltending consultant Curtis Joseph) and [goalie coach] Dave Marcoux will be proud.”It marked Ward’s 16th-straight start he’s gone 7-5-3 with one no decision in that stretch and the first in 2016-17 that we earned with when allowing three goals.”We lost two of the last three laying up two goals [or less] each game,” Ward said. “We’re doing all the right things, but it’s definitely probably a relief to the guys to see the puck go in the back of the net.”Overtime was set up by an back-and-forth two minutes in the third period that saw the Bruins who played the night before in Florida, a 4-0 win claw back twice.Boston got the first tying goal courtesy of David Backes, who provided a net-front presence and then collected a rebound at 5:49 to make it 2-2. Carolina answered 91 seconds later when Jay McClement finished off a behind-the-net feed from Viktor Stalberg for his fourth goal of the year.On the following shift, Boston tied it again. Brad Marchand’s 13th goal of the year 23 seconds after Carolina reclaimed the lead knotted it up with more than 13 minutes left. Ward made a big stop early in overtime to keep the Hurricanes afloat, and then Teravainen and Aho took over to seal the win.Boston had opened the scoring in the first thanks to a Carolina turnover. Ward played the puck behind the net and gave it away to former teammate Nash. Nash got the puck to Dominic Moore, who then found Tim Schaller for a spinning backhander that went past a disheveled Ward to make it 1-0 at 13:10 of the first.Aho got his ninth goal of the season early in the second, redirecting a Jaccob Slavin point shot to tie the game. The play was challenged by Boston for goaltender interference, but Aho steered clear of the blue paint and it was counted.After Aho’s equalizer, the second period featured mostly a clogged neutral zone. Then Boston made a mistake.Derek Ryan forced a turnover at the red line to spring him and Jordan Staal on an odd-man rush. Staal slid the pass to Ryan and his shot hit McIntyre’s pad and spun in to give the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead at 14:28 of the middle frame.Less than two minutes later, Boston go their first power play opportunity thanks to a tripping call on Lee Stempniak. But the best chances went to Carolina, with Staal getting stopped on two shorthanded breakaways by McIntyre.Notes: After being held without a point in his last two games, Aho scored twice and upped his total in the last 12 games to six goal and four assists. … Brett Pesce finished plus-3. … Nine different Hurricanes had a point.
