Sean Walker scores late in OT as Hurricanes nip Penguins

Sean Walker's goal with 28.3 seconds left in overtime gave the Carolina Hurricanes a 6-5 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night in Raleigh, N.C.

Jackson Blake posted a goal and two assists while Walker, Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall each had a goal and assist for the Hurricanes, who have alternated wins and losses for their past seven games.

Carolina's Jordan Martinook and K'Andre Miller also scored, and Nikolaj Ehlers logged three assists. Frederik Andersen stopped 30 shots.

Erik Karlsson finished with two goals and an assist, while Sidney Crosby marked his return to the Pittsburgh lineup with a goal and an assist for the Penguins, who finished a five-game road trip with a 2-1-2 record. Pittsburgh's Bryan Rust and Ben Kindel also scored, Rickard Rakell racked up two assists, and Stuart Skinner made 38 saves.

Stankoven broke a 3-3 tie with 7:01 remaining in the third period.

Karlsson's second goal, through traffic, came with 5:14 remaining to pull Pittsburgh even at 4-4. The Penguins then benefited again on a Carolina turnover with Kindel delivering the go-ahead tally at 15:09.

Two minutes later, Miller tied the score again when his shot from the left circle ricocheted in off a Pittsburgh player's leg.

Martinook tallied 9:34 into the game with Pittsburgh on the only power play during the first period. The short-handed goal, off assists from Jordan Staal and Jaccob Slavin, lifted Martinook to the 10-goal mark for the sixth time in his career and for the fourth consecutive season.

Carolina has 11 players with at least 10 goals this season.

Crosby scored 9:57 into the second, his team-leading 28th goal and team-best 60th point. Crosby was back in action for the first time since an injury sustained while playing for Canada during the Olympics last month. He missed 11 Penguins games before playing 18:33 in his Wednesday return.

Blake's goal gave Carolina a 2-1 lead with 3:09 to play in the second period. His 20th goal of the season gave the Hurricanes five 20-goal scorers on the roster.

Karlsson pulled the Penguins even on a 5-on-3 power play 59 seconds into the third period. The Hurricanes held the lead at 3-2 after Hall's goal at 3:27, but that edge lasted less than four minutes before Rust scored.

--Field Level Media