Hurricanes make NHL history with stunning final-minute comeback vs Mammoth

Caroline Hurricanes brought the most thrilling ending on Thursday night that the NHL has seen in quite a while, shocking the Utah Mammoth with a heart-stopping last-minute comeback at the Lenovo Center. With under two minutes left in regulation, Carolina scored three unanswered goals in a span of just over a-minute-and-a half to climb back from a two-goal deficit and steal one 5-4 at home.

It was an imminent whitewash turned record-breaker. Just a slight dulling of the disbelief that the Hurricanes had accomplished a feat seldom, if ever, achieved in league history, refusing to quit, keeping the pedal down, and etching their names in the record book with an incredible performance that left the Mammoth scratching their heads trying to figure out what hit them.

Hurricanes create historic late-game rally

The rally started within the third quarter with a much-needed sense of urgency and pinpoint execution. Andrei Svechnikov gave the Hurricanes their first glimmer of hope of the night when he trimmed the score to 1 with 1:59 left. A few seconds later, defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere tied the game, blasting a shot in on the Utah goaltender, and the crowd erupted.

The Hurricanes, though, weren't willing to play overtime with time running down. The stunning rally was capped by Captain Jordan Staal, who connected with perfect timing just outside the crease with 29 seconds left. The goal marked a third score in a two-minute flurry of three to seal a regulation win few NHL teams have been able to finish with.


The win put Carolina in a real exclusive club, being just the third team in NHL history to win in regulation despite trailing by two goals in the final two minutes of a game. This was also the first time this happened in the salary-cap area, which really shows how rare the feat truly was.

Utah Mammoth falter in final moments

That was a crushing lesson for the Utah Mammoth: No game in the NHL is over until the final buzzer sounds, no matter how comfortable the lead. After a dominant offensive display for much of the night, Utah was sailing with a 4–2 lead late in the third period.

But breakdowns at the defensive end and a failure to be able to clear the puck under pressure gave Carolina a window to strike. Utah's defense crumpled under the pressure of the Hurricanes' aggressive forecheck and forceful net-front presence in the dying minutes, ruining what should have been a road win into a crushing loss.


Get the latest WPL 2026 updates including WPL teams, full WPL 2026 schedule, and live scores for Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, UP Warriorz, Gujarat Giants, and Delhi Capitals. Also check the latest WPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.