Brent Burns, Dmitry Orlov help Hurricanes hold on to beat Islanders 3-2 for 3-0 series lead

NEW YORK (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes didn't think they played their best in Game 3 against the New York Islanders. They did enough to move a win away from advancing to the second round.

Defensemen Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov got the Hurricanes off to a fast start and they held on to beat the Islanders 3-2 on Thursday night for a 3-0 series lead.

Sebastian Aho also scored for the Hurricanes and Andrei Svechnikov had two assists. Frederik Andersen stopped 29 shots. Carolina won for eighth time in nine games at UBS Arena, which opened for the 2021-22 season.

“We didn't really play our way tonight, it wasn't there,” Svechnikov said. “But we take the win and run away.”

Brock Nelson and Pierre Engvall scored for the Islanders. They are a loss away from being eliminated by Carolina in the first round for the second straight year.

Ilya Sorokin, getting the start after Semyon Varlamov went in the first two games, was pulled in the second period after giving up three goals on 14 shots. Varlamov came on and stopped all eight shots he faced.

“I thought it was a hard-fought game, there were not many chances on both sides,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. “We had a good push in the third. We had our chances and the puck wasn't bouncing our way.”

Trailing 3-2 in the third period, New York pressed for the tying goal, outshooting Carolina 11-3, but couldn't get the tying goal.

“We knew it was coming, they were going to give it everything they had,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said. 'That’s exactly what happened but obviously Freddy came up with a couple of huge saves and that’s the difference in the game."

Andersen made a nice save falling backward on a shot by Alexander Romanov about 6 1/2 minutes in the third period. The puck lay in the paint briefly before the goalie covered it up.

Andersen made another stellar save while sitting on the ice, reaching up to grab a shot by Romanov with 5:48 left. Andersen felt he got clipped by an Islanders player and that's why he went down on the play.

“One you go down you just try to steal one and see where the puck is,” he said. “You got to see it to have a chance for it to try to come up with something. Those are fun saves.”

Brind'Amour credited the goalie for always being even-keeled regardless of the situation.

“He was very, very sharp,” he said. “Obviously, the difference in the game. That's kind of his demeanor. You can never really tell with him what kind of game it is.”

The Islanders pulled Varlamov for an extra skater with 1:55 to go, but could not beat Andersen.

“Both teams battled, sometimes you’re just a bounce away.” New York's Kyle Palmieri said. “We just have to regroup and find a way in Game 4.”

Game 4 is Saturday in New York.

Trailing 2-0 after one period, the Islanders got on the scoreboard early in the second when Engvall took a pass in front from Anders Lee and fired a shot between Andersen's legs.

Aho restored the two-goal lead at 7:14 as he got a pass from Svechnikov and fired a shot from the high slot past Sorokin for his second goal of the series. That ended Sorokin's night.

Nelson brought the Islanders back within one late in the middle period. Ryan Pulock's shot was deflected off Palmieri in front and Nelson came in and quickly put it past Andersen on the right side with 2:21 to go.

The Islanders had a 15-9 advantage on shots in the first period, but trailed 2-0 after 20 minutes. New York's shot total in the period exceeded their total in all of Game 2 when they managed only 12.

Burns got the Hurricanes on the scoreboard first as he fired a shot from the top of the right circle that deflected off the stick of Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly and past Sorokin at 4:46.

Andersen made a stellar glove save reaching to his left on Noah Dobson's attempt from the right side at 9:23 on the rebound of a shot by Mathew Barzal to preserve the lead.

Orlov then beat Sorokin on the stick side from the left circle just over a minute later to increase Carolina's lead to 2-0. It was the second straight goal by a defenseman after forwards had scored all the goals in the first two games.

The Hurricanes were without defenseman Brett Pesce because of a lower-body injury suffered on a noncontact sequence during the second period of Game 2 on Monday night. Tony DeAngelo started in his place in a pairing with Brady Skjei.

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.ap)news.com/hub/NHL

New York Islanders' Brock Nelson, left, scores against Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen protects the net as New York Islanders' Pierre Engvall skates in front of him during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Islanders' Brock Nelson is congratulated for a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Carolina Hurricanes' Sebastian Aho celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the New York Islanders during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen reacts as the New York Islanders celebrate a goal by Pierre Engvall during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin protects the net during the first period of Game 3 of the team's NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Carolina Hurricanes' Dmitry Orlov (7) is congratulated for his goal against the New York Islanders during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Carolina Hurricanes' Dmitry Orlov, right, celebrates with Jalen Chatfield, second from left and Evgeny Kuznetsov (92) after scoring a goal against the New York Islanders during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Carolina Hurricanes' Jake Guentzel (59) celebrates with teammates after a puck shot by Dmitry Orlov got past New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) for a goal during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Carolina Hurricanes' Brent Burns, second from right, celebrates with Jaccob Slavin, right, Teuvo Teravainen (86) and Martin Necas (88) after scoring a goal against the. New York Islanders during the first period of Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

PANAMA CITY (AP) — José Raúl Mulino said he was practically retired from politics just over six months ago.

Now, he’ll be Panama’s president for the next five years.

Standing before a pack of supporters Sunday night, Mulino said: “I never imagined this.”

In a historic and tumultuous election, preliminary results put Mulino on top to lead the normally sleepy Central American nation through a moment of political tension, historic migration and a struggling economy.

The 64-year-old lawyer, whose last position in politics was as minister of security in then President Ricardo Martinelli's 2009-2014 administration, was initially tapped by the popular former leader to be his running mate after Martinelli’s wife declined.

But then Martinelli was disqualified from running after he was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for a money laundering conviction. Mulino took his place, and ended up winning Sunday’s presidential election with 35% of the vote and a nine-point lead over his nearest opponent after dodging constitutional challenges to his own candidacy.

The president-elect got there with strong support from Martinelli, arguably the most important tool in Mulino’s campaign as he rode the fiery ex-leader’s popularity to victory.

While he lacks Martinelli’s charisma, the economic boom seen under his ally pushed many voters to support Mulino at a time that Panama’s economy has lagged.

The former president, who has been sheltering in the Nicaraguan Embassy since February after receiving political asylum, said his trust for Mulino dates back 30 years.

“Mulino seems a little tough, but he is a good guy, serious, and is the only one prepared to take on this great challenge and knows how the economy works to lift the country,” Martinelli said in a video broadcast to supporters at Mulino’s campaign close.

A maritime law attorney who graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans, Mulino became known as a private business leader who took part in a civil movement against the dictatorship of Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega, who was ousted by an American invasion on Dec. 20, 1989.

He acted as vice minister of foreign affairs in the 1989-1994 administration of President Guillermo Endara, who took office after the fall of Noriega and the end of the Panamanian military regime. Mulino later remained in charge of the country’s international policy in the last part of that administration.

Mulino remained active in politics and more than a decade later backed Martinelli in the election that the supermarket magnate won in 2009. Mulino was appointed minister of the interior and justice, later taking the reins of the public security office.

Mulino says one of the achievements during that time was to “recover” a swath of Panama on the border with Colombia, known as the Darien Gap, which “was in the hands of the narco-guerrillas” of the neighboring country.

As president, he has promised to stop soaring levels of migration through the Darien jungles, where more than a half million people crossed last year, though experts question the viability of his plan due to the sheer quantities of vulnerable people traveling through the passage.

“I will make the effort to end this migratory crisis in our territory with respect for human rights and with sincere international participation,” Mulino said at the closing of his campaign last week.

As security minister, he was also the target of harsh criticisms following police repression of a protest of Indigenous banana growers in the northern provinces of Bocas del Toro and Chiriqui in 2010. The crackdown left two dead and more than 100 injured by pellet shots, among them some with eye injuries.

“He was quite severe in controlling social protests,” Panamanian political analyst Rodrigo Noriega told The Associated Press before the election. “There are a lot of unknowns about him.”

Presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino, of the Achieving Goals party, celebrates after winning on the day of the general electing in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino, of the Achieving Goals party, center, waves to supporters after winning on the day of the general electing in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino, left, stands beside Marta Linares de Martinelli, the wife of former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli, as he addresses supporters after winning on the day of the general electing in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino, of the Achieving Goals party, hold hands with a supporter after winning on the day of the general electing in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino, of the Achieving Goals party, hold hands with a supporter after winning on the day of the general electing in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino, of the Achieving Goals party, celebrates after winning on the day of the general electing in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Achieving Goals presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino arrives to Nicaraguan Embassy after voting during a general election in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Achieving Goals presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino leaves after voting during a general election in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Achieving Goals presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino holds his ballot during a general election in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Achieving Goals presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino marks his ballot as he chooses his preferences during a general election in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino, of the Achieving Goals party, speaks to supporters after winning on the day of the general electing in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Presidential candidate Jose Raul Mulino, of the Achieving Goals party, is surrounded by supporters after winning on the day of the general electing in Panama City, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)