CHICAGO — If Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour characterized Tuesday’s loss to the Chicago Blackhawks as “weird,” it’s a wonder what he made of his team’s 4-3 win in the rematch Thursday at the United Center.
Odd bounces and ricochets abounded on both sides.
— Dominik Kubalik used a defender’s stick to help push in a goal, his 12th of the season.
— Dylan Strome redirected a shot that bounced off the ice, hopped up and squirted underneath James Reimer’s arm for a goal, his seventh.
— Warren Foegele looked like a pool hustler, banking his first goal off Duncan Keith’s skate and backhanding his second goal between his legs that ricocheted off the skates of Wyatt Kalynuk and Kevin Lankinen skates — all with Foegele’s back turned to the goal.
But ultimately Jesper Fast cashed in on a rebound off Lankinen for the winning goal with 28.9 seconds left.
It was the Hawks’ seventh loss in 10 games.
“Tough way to lose, no doubt,” Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. “It was an up-and-down game. Roller coaster. … It’s going to hurt a few hours, for sure.”
After losing to the Hawks 2-1 on Tuesday, the Hurricanes again applied heavy neutral-zone pressure and strong forechecking in their offensive zone, but this time they capitalized.
Trocheck and Foegele paced the Canes to a 2-0 lead, but Kubalik answered with breakaway goal off a long pass from rookie defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk. The assist was Kalynuk’s first NHL point.
The Hurricanes’ first-period goal came with a bit of controversy. Andrei Svechnikov appeared to interfere with Adam Boqvist before the Hawks defenseman could get in front of Trocheck.
Boqvist raised his arms in protest, but no penalty was called.
On Foegele’s goal in the second, a Hawks goalie once again was the victim of friendly fire coming off a teammate’s skate. Foegele’s centering pass kicked off Keith’s skate and squirted under Lankinen’s arm on his attempt to body block.
Malcolm Subban had that happen to him two games ago when the Nashville Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson’s goal richoted off Calvin de Haan’s skate.
Earlier this month, Kubalik was in the midst of a six-game point streak and eight in nine games, but he has cooled off in the last four games.
But in the second, Kalynuk led him with an outlet pass from the defensive zone. Kubalik split two defenders, fended off Jaccob Slavin’s stick and slapped the puck past Reimer to cut the Hawks’ deficit to 2-1 with 4:39 left in the period.
Brandon Hagel tied the game at 5:46 of the third with his fifth of the season.
Lankinen had 27 saves and Reimer 21. The Hawks came up empty on three power plays.