Jordan Staal scores in final minute to cap late 3-goal rally by Hurricanes for 5-4 win over Mammoth

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jordan Staal's goal with 29.4 seconds left gave the Carolina Hurricanes three goals in the final two minutes for a 5-4 victory over the Utah Mammoth on Thursday night.

The Hurricanes became the first NHL team in more than 30 years and third overall to rally from two goals down in the last two minutes to win in regulation. The others were the Dallas Stars against the Boston Bruins on Oct. 14, 1995, and the Montreal Maroons against the New York Rangers on March 15, 1932.

Andrei Svechnikov and Shayne Gostisbehere each had two goals and an assist for the Hurricanes, who stretched their points streak to six games. Brandon Bussi stopped 21 shots to become the first NHL goalie with 20 wins in his first 24 games.

Utah’s Kailer Yamamoto scored two goals for the first time in more than two years and added an assist. JJ Peterka and Michael Carcone also scored for the Mammoth, who concluded a 2-2-0 trip in their last road game until March. Jack McBain had two assists and Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves.

Svechnikov scored on a power play with the goalie pulled with 1:59 left, giving him eight goals in a six-game stretch. Just 32 seconds later, Gostisbehere, who had missed the previous five games with an injury, got the Hurricanes even.

The Mammoth lost for the second time in eight games.

Peterka responded 19 seconds after Carolina’s second-period goal and the Mammoth led until the final minutes.

Svechnikov opened the scoring 3:04 into the game.

Yamamoto’s second goal of the trip, after getting scratched for four games, came 4:10 into the second. He gave the Mammoth the lead for the first time at 8:24 of the second by sending a rebound into an open net.

The Hurricanes converted on their third power-play opportunity of the second period when Gostisbehere blasted a shot from inside the blue line.

Vejmelka has lost two games in a row for the first time since Dec. 8-10.

Mammoth: Host Dallas on Saturday to begin a string of six straight home games

Hurricanes: At Washington on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Carolina Hurricanes' Jordan Staal, third from right, celebrates after his winning goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Utah Mammoth in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Carolina Hurricanes players celebrate after the winning goal by Jordan Staal with Utah Mammoth's Jack McBain (22) nearby during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) watches the puck controlled by Utah Mammoth's Daniil But (19) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Carolina Hurricanes' Jaccob Slavin (74) prepares to bat the puck with Hurricanes' goaltender Brandon Bussi, front right, and Utah Mammoth Clayton Keller (9) nearby during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Carolina Hurricanes' Taylor Hall (71) watches the puck with Utah Mammoth's Nate Schmidt (88) nearby during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Carolina Hurricanes' Jordan Martinook (48) leaps out of the way of the puck in front of Utah Mammoth goaltender Karel Vejmelkab (70) with John Marino (6) and Nate Schmidt (88) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Carolina Hurricanes' Nikolaj Ehlers controls the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Utah Mammoth in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

NEW YORK (AP) — Carson Soucy scored against the team that traded him 72 hours earlier, Matthew Schaefer got the 14th goal of his stellar rookie year and the New York Islanders defeated the Rangers 2-1 on Thursday night.

Soucy became the first player to score for the Rangers and the Islanders at Madison Square Garden in the same season. The Islanders swept the back-to-back set between the crosstown rivals after winning 5-2 at home on Wednesday night.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 20 of 21 shots to pick up his 18th victory in 32 starts this season. Schaefer, the first pick in the draft last June, broke a tie with Hall of Famer Bobby Orr for the second-most goals by an 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history with his 14th.

Schaefer's goal came 1 minute, 35 seconds after Soucy beat former teammate Jonathan Quick short side from a tight angle. Soucy was playing just his second game with the Islanders since they gave up a third-round pick to get him in just the fourth trade between the New York teams and first since 2010.

Mika Zibanejad scored on the power play and Quick allowed two goals on 21 shots in his eighth appearance in 12 games since Igor Shesterkin was sidelined because of a lower-body injury. The long-term absences of Shesterkin and top defenseman Adam Fox exacerbated what was already a rough season for the Rangers, who recently signaled they are beginning a retooling process.

In line with that, they began sitting leading scorer Artemi Panarin rather than risking an injury that could prevent trading him before the March 6 deadline. Panarin is a pending unrestricted free agent whom the Rangers informed they were not re-signing.

The Islanders, who have won three in a row as they aim to make the playoffs, were without fourth-line center Casey Cizikas because of illness. Maxim Shabanov took his spot in the lineup.

Islanders: Host Nashville on Saturday night.

Rangers: Visit Pittsburgh on Saturday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

New York Islanders' Carson Soucy (4) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin (30) stretches during a pause in play during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Islanders' Matthew Schaefer smiles after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Islanders' Matthew Schaefer (48) skates past New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Islanders' Carson Soucy (4) skartes past New York Rangers goaltender Jonathan Quick (32) after scoring a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)