The Canes had a 3-0 lead with 10 minutes to play and a 2-goal advantage with under 2 1/2 minutes left. But, the Panthers taught Carolina a lesson about playoff hockey in December, rallying with Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart goals to force overtime. They would eventually win the game in a shootout. Jordan Staal scored his 10th goal of the season and Sebastian Aho had 2 goals for the second straight game as the Hurricanes built that 3-goal lead. But, Brad Marchand went into his bag of tricks, whacking Brandon Bussi in the jewels before scoring over top of him for a 3-1 score with just under 10 minutes remaining. The Hurricanes gave up an astounding 24 high danger chances to the Panthers in the loss. Bussi did make 38 saves, but his 9 game winning streak came to an end.

Sebastian Aho had his first 2-goal, 3-point night of the season, Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 25 shots -- 14 in the 3rd period -- and Jaccob Slavin looked like his old self as the Canes beat the Predators, 4-1 in Nashville. Carolina sweeps the 2-game season series having won the first one earlier this month in Raleigh. Aho's 10th goal, on the power play, early in the 3rd period doubled the lead to 2-0. Then he set up Seth Jarvis for his 19th of the year to make it 3-0, before icing the game with an empty net goal with 45 seconds left in the 3rd. Jackson Blake was stellar again. He had the game's first goal, in the 1st period, banging home a rebound of Logan Stankoven's shot. And, Blake also had the primary assist on Aho's power play goal. The Canes have won 5 straight and lead the Metro by 5 points.

For the third straight game the Hurricanes won in the shootout. Brandon Bussi was the story -- again. He's now 11-1-0 on the season. William Carrier and Taylor Hall each scored goals for the Canes and Andrei Svechnikov recorded the game deciding goal in the shootout. It's the first time in franchise history that they've won three straight games via the shootout.